vernal

== English == === Etymology === From Latin vernālis (“(rare) of or pertaining to spring; vernal”), from vērnus (“of or pertaining to spring; vernal”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship). Vērnus is derived from vēr (“season of spring”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wósr̥ (“spring”)) + -nus (suffix forming adjectives). The English word is cognate with Old French vernal (modern French vernal), Italian vernale (“pertaining to spring; vernal”), Occitan vernal, Portuguese vernal (“pertaining to spring; vernal”), Spanish vernal (“pertaining to spring; vernal”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈvɜːn(ə)l/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈvɝnəl/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)nəl Hyphenation: vern‧al === Adjective === vernal (comparative more vernal, superlative most vernal) (formal, literary) Pertaining to or occurring in spring. [from mid 16th c.] Synonyms: springlike, spring-like; (rare) springly (figuratively) Having characteristics like spring; fresh, young, youthful. ==== Usage notes ==== Vernal is used mostly in technical contexts (as in e.g. vernal equinox) or poetic contexts. In everyday language, attributive use of spring predominates, as in spring colors, spring flowers, spring equinox. ==== Alternative forms ==== vernall (obsolete) ==== Coordinate terms ==== (pertaining to seasons): summer: aestival/estival, summery · autumn or fall: autumnal · winter: brumal, hibernal, wintry ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== primavera ver (“springtime”) (obsolete) vere, vere-time (“springtime”) (obsolete) ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === vernal (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “vernal”, in Online Etymology Dictionary. === Anagrams === Lavern, nerval, verlan == French == === Pronunciation === === Adjective === vernal (feminine vernale, masculine plural vernaux, feminine plural vernales) vernal === References === “vernal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Portuguese == === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: ver‧nal === Adjective === vernal m or f (plural vernais) vernal (pertaining to spring) === Further reading === “vernal”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “vernal”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French vernal, from Latin vernalis. === Adjective === vernal m or n (feminine singular vernală, masculine plural vernali, feminine/neuter plural vernale) vernal (pertaining to spring) Synonym: primăvăratic ==== Declension ==== == Spanish == === Etymology === From Latin vernālis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /beɾˈnal/ [beɾˈnal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: ver‧nal Homophone: Bernal === Adjective === vernal m or f (masculine and feminine plural vernales) vernal (pertaining to spring) Synonym: primaveral ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “vernal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025