Seasons are periods of the year with distinct weather conditions and day lengths. 

The four seasons — winter, spring, summer, autumn — can vary significantly in characteristics and can prompt changes in the world around them. Here, we explore the seasons of the year in more detail. 

Attributes of the seasons may vary by location, but there are still broad definitions that cross most of the boundaries.

In the autumn, or fall, temperatures cool again. Plants may begin to grow dormant. Animals might prepare themselves for the upcoming cold weather, storing food or traveling to warmer regions. 

Various cultures have celebrated bountiful harvests with annual festivals. Thanksgiving is a good example. “Thanksgiving in the United States is a historical commemoration but it has a spiritual dimension strongly associated with homecoming and giving praise for what has been bestowed upon us,” Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science.  

Why is it called autumn instead of fall?

Both ‘autumn’ and ‘fall’ are words used in the English language to describe the season that starts on 1 September in the Northern Hemisphere, with fall being commonly used in American English. According to Dictionary.com, the word autumn comes from the old French word ‘autompne’, which itself originated from the Latin ‘autumnus’. The roots of the Latin name are obscure, but it was first recorded in the English language from the late 1300s.