serotinal

[prettygoodword]

serotinal (si-ROT-n-l, ser-uh-TAIN-l) - adj., related to or occurring in late summer; (biol.) serotine, developing or flowering at a later time or later in a season compared to similar species.


For those wondering how I was going to get five seasonal words out of four seasons, here's your answer. Note that the technical sense is the only sense that is a synonym of serotine, and this very much a lesser-used sense -- not that the main sense is particularly well-known. Coined around 1898 from serotine (by adding an additional adjectival ending -al), which was taken in the 1590s from Latin sērōtinus, late (in ripening/in the day), from sērus, late, ultimately from PIE *seh₁-, long/lasting.

---L.

Comments

[full_metal_ox]

China recognizes five seasons: spring, summer, late summer—-which would correspond with the serotine period—-autumn, and winter.

And it looks as though “serotonin”, although it’s believed to play a significant role in Seasonal Affective Disorder, is etymologically unrelated, deriving from “serum”, “tonic”, and the chemical suffix “-in”.