indian summer
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The autumnal summer, occurring as a rule in the early part of October. It is often the finest and mildest part of the whole year, especially in North America.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “indian summer” mean?
The autumnal summer, occurring as a rule in the early part of October. It is often the finest and mildest part of the whole year, especially in North America.
Is “indian summer” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.