saint luke's summer
Low/Archaic (mainly literary or historical)Literary, poetic, historical, regional
Definition
Meaning
A period of calm, warm weather occurring in autumn, typically around mid-October.
A metaphor for a late, unexpected period of beauty, comfort, or success following a decline or difficult period.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A specific term within the set of 'little summers' (e.g., Indian Summer, St. Martin's Summer) tied to the feast day of St. Luke (18 October). It implies a brief, final respite before winter.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is more likely to be recognized in British English due to its roots in the traditional rural calendar. In American English, 'Indian Summer' is the overwhelmingly dominant term for any warm autumn spell.
Connotations
UK: Evokes folklore, tradition, and the agricultural year. US: Primarily a historical or literary curiosity.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary use in both dialects, preserved chiefly in almanacs, poetry, and historical texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[The/This] + be + (shaping up to be/feels like) + a + Saint Luke's SummerWe are having + a + Saint Luke's SummerThere is + a + Saint Luke's Summer + in + [Month/Place]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “An Indian (or Saint Luke's) summer of one's life/career (a late flowering)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Potentially metaphorical: 'The company experienced a Saint Luke's summer of profits before the market downturn.'
Academic
Used in historical climatology, literary analysis, or cultural studies of folklore.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual speech. Might be used self-consciously by gardeners or in rural communities.
Technical
Used in some almanacs and historical weather records to specify warm periods around mid-October.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The old farmers always hoped for a Saint Luke's Summer to finish the harvest.
- That golden week in October was a perfect Saint Luke's Summer.
American English
- The almanac predicted a Saint Luke's Summer, but frost came early.
- They spoke of a Saint Luke's Summer in her final years, a time of great creativity.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The weather is nice in October. It is like summer.
- We had a period of warm weather in October, which my grandfather called a Saint Luke's Summer.
- Following the stormy weeks of early autumn, the region enjoyed a tranquil Saint Luke's Summer, with clear skies and mild temperatures.
- The poet used the image of a Saint Luke's Summer as a metaphor for the protagonist's fleeting moment of happiness in old age.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
St. Luke's feast is on 18 Oct; imagine Luke painting an icon in the last warm sun of the year.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A SEASON / LIFE IS A YEAR (a late, pleasant period is a warm autumn)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'лето Святого Луки'. The standard Russian equivalent is 'бабье лето' (Indian Summer). 'Сентябрёвое тепло' is a descriptive option.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with 'Indian Summer' (which is later and more common). Capitalizing incorrectly (e.g., 'saint luke's summer'). Using it to describe spring warmth.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the CLOSEST in meaning to 'Saint Luke's Summer'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Saint Luke's Summer specifically refers to warm weather around St. Luke's feast day (18 October). Indian Summer is a more general American term for any warm spell after the first autumn frost, often later in October or November.
No, it is considered archaic or regional. The term 'Indian Summer' is vastly more common in modern English to describe warm autumn weather.
It is named after the feast day of St. Luke the Evangelist (18 October), around which this weather phenomenon was traditionally observed in parts of Europe.
Yes, in literary contexts it can metaphorically describe a late, unexpected period of success, productivity, or happiness in a person's life or career, just before a decline or end.