Season has several related meanings:

When we talk about the four seasons, we mean the natural divisions of the year: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each season brings its own weather patterns, temperature changes, and natural cycles. In spring, plants start growing again after winter's cold. Summer brings the warmest weather and longest days. Fall sees leaves changing color and temperatures cooling. Winter brings the coldest weather and, in many places, snow. These seasons happen because Earth tilts on its axis as it orbits the sun, causing different parts of the planet to receive more or less direct sunlight throughout the year.

Season also means a particular time period when something specific happens. Baseball season runs from spring through fall. The holiday season includes Thanksgiving and Christmas. Schools have a back-to-school season. Each of these periods has its own rhythm and expectations.

When you season food, you add salt, pepper, herbs, or spices to make it taste better. A well-seasoned soup might include garlic, thyme, and black pepper. Experienced cooks learn to season their food carefully, adding just enough flavor without overwhelming the main ingredients.

People also use season to describe preparing something over time. When you season a cast-iron pan, you treat it with oil and heat to create a non-stick surface. A seasoned traveler has lots of experience and knows how to handle unexpected problems. In these cases, seasoning means the gradual process of improvement through use and time.