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autumn vs fall

Autumn vs Fall

How do you say “autumn” in English?

In English, both autumn and fall are used to refer to the season between summer and winter. Both words are correct, but their usage depends on whether you’re using American English or British English.

Autumn is more commonly used in British English.

Fall is more commonly used in American English.

The word autumn comes from the Latin word autumnus, while fall is a shortened version of the old expression “fall of the leaf”, which poets used to describe the season.

Expressions with Autumn

In British English, you may encounter these expressions with autumn. In American English, you can replace autumn with fall in most cases:

Autumn colors (BrE: colours) – Fall colors (AmE)
Autumn leaves – Fall leaves
Autumn months – Fall months
Autumn rain – Fall rain
Autumn season – Fall season
Autumn sky – Fall sky
Autumn sun – Fall sun
Autumn weather – Fall weather

Other Meanings of Fall

Besides being used for the season, fall has other meanings as well. It can be both a noun and a verb:

As a noun, fall can mean:
Fall – the season (autumn)
A fall – a sudden drop or decline
Dangerous fall – a serious fall or accident
Massive fall – a large decline (e.g., in prices or numbers
As a verb, fall means:
Fall down – to drop to the ground
Fall into debt – to go into financial trouble
Snowfall – the amount of snow that falls
Summary

Autumn is the preferred word in British English.

Fall is used in American English, and it can also mean other things like a drop or decline.

American English? Only on the ELLA platform

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