seasonality: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal / Technical
Quick answer
What does “seasonality” mean?
The characteristic of being dependent on or varying with the seasons, or occurring at a specific, regular time each year.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The characteristic of being dependent on or varying with the seasons, or occurring at a specific, regular time each year.
A pattern or predictable fluctuation in data, demand, behavior, or biological processes that recurs on an annual (or other seasonal) cycle. Used in economics, ecology, tourism, retail, and medicine.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or spelling. Usage is equally common in technical/business contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral/technical term in both. Slightly more frequent in UK English in ecological contexts; slightly more frequent in US English in business/finance contexts.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties within specialised domains; rare in everyday casual speech.
Grammar
How to Use “seasonality” in a Sentence
The [noun] exhibits/show seasonality.We must adjust/account for the seasonality in the [noun].The analysis revealed a strong seasonality effect.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “seasonality” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The data needs to be seasonally adjusted.
- Visitor numbers seasonally peak in July.
American English
- The figures have been seasonally adjusted.
- Traffic seasonally increases around the holidays.
adverb
British English
- Employment varies seasonally.
- The fruits are only available seasonally.
American English
- Prices fluctuate seasonally.
- The restaurant operates seasonally.
adjective
British English
- We observed a strong seasonal pattern.
- The company hires seasonal workers.
American English
- There is a clear seasonal trend.
- She took a seasonal job at the ski resort.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to predictable changes in sales, employment, or prices linked to seasons or holidays (e.g., retail Christmas peak).
Academic
Used in economics, climatology, ecology, epidemiology to describe data patterns recurring annually.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used when discussing holiday travel prices or seasonal jobs.
Technical
A key statistical concept; data is 'deseasonalized' to reveal underlying trends.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “seasonality”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “seasonality”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “seasonality”
- Incorrect pluralisation ('seasonalities') is rare and generally discouraged. It's a mass noun.
- Mispronunciation: stressing the first syllable (SEA-sonality) instead of the third (sea-son-AL-ity).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Weather is short-term atmospheric conditions. Seasonality refers to predictable, recurring annual patterns or fluctuations, which can be influenced by weather but also by holidays, school terms, or biological cycles.
Typically, no. The term is intrinsically tied to the four-season/annual cycle. For monthly, weekly, or daily recurring patterns, terms like 'periodicity', 'cyclicality', or specific terms like 'diurnal rhythm' are used.
A trend shows a long-term, directional movement (upward or downward) over years. Seasonality is a shorter, repeating pattern within a single year that recurs annually. In data analysis, seasonality is often removed to see the true trend.
It is generally treated as an uncountable/mass noun. We say "exhibit seasonality," not "exhibit a seasonality." However, in very technical statistical writing, you might encounter "a strong seasonality," but this is less common.
The characteristic of being dependent on or varying with the seasons, or occurring at a specific, regular time each year.
Seasonality is usually formal / technical in register.
Seasonality: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsiː.zənˈæl.ə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsiː.zənˈæl.ə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this noun.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: SEASON-ALITY. It's the 'quality' or 'characteristic' (the -ity) of something being tied to the SEASON.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CYCLE (repeating pattern); NATURAL/ECONOMIC PROCESSES ARE TIDES (predictable ebb and flow).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'seasonality' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?