Indian summer
A period of warm, dry, hazy weather occurring in late autumn after the first frost — a false reprieve, the year offering a few last days of warmth before winter closes in. The sky is soft, the light golden, and the air carries a quality of valediction. Indian summers are not guaranteed; they are gifts.
Etymology
American English, in use since at least the late 18th century. The origin is debated — possibly from the timing of late-season Native American harvests or raids, possibly from the hazy conditions resembling the smoke from land-clearing fires. The phrase is sometimes considered insensitive; alternatives like "second summer" or the British "St. Martin's summer" (from the feast day of November 11) exist but lack the resonance.
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