Indian summer
A warm, quiet stretch of fall after the first chill.
Updated September 24, 2026
Indian summer pronunciation
/IN-dee-un SUM-er/
Meaning
Indian summer is that bonus warm spell that sneaks back after autumn has already turned cool. Leaves are down or turning, nights get sharp again, then a few days feel like summer forgot to leave. On farms and in hollers it is porch weather, shirt-sleeve chores, and one more chance at fishing before real winter sets in.
How folks use it
- “We got us an Indian summer this week, so I'm paintin' the barn while I can.”
- “Don't put the shorts away yet. Feels like Indian summer comin' on.”
Origin and etymology
American term from the late 1700s, first written near the Northeast and frontier country. Exact reason for Indian in the name is murky. Folks have guessed Native hunting seasons, prairie smoke, or settlers borrowing a label they heard locally. Nobody has pinned that part down for sure. What stuck is the weather sense: warm, often hazy days after frost.
Frequently asked questions
Does Indian summer have to come after a frost?
Old-timers often say yes: a warm spell after the first real cold snap. Looser talk just means any late warm stretch in fall.