vernal

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to, occurring in, or characteristic of spring

   Vernal rains brought fresh growth to the valley.

2. 2
   adj

   fresh, youthful, or suggestive of spring; literary

   The room's vernal colors made the old house feel young again.

From Latin vernalis, 'of spring,' from vernus, itself derived from ver, 'spring,' plus the relational suffix -alis. Latin ver continues an ancient Indo-European word for spring. The figurative sense transfers the season's freshness and new growth to youth, color, or mood.

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