18 Expressions to Celebrate the Arrival of Spring

With winter hopefully in the rearview mirror, the days are stretching out and warming up. Barring any unexpected winnol-weather or lamb-storms, it appears spring is finally here. Discover 18 spring-inspired words that could come in handy in the coming weeks and months.

Contents Overview

Vernalagnia

Originating from the Greek term lagneia, meaning “lust,” vernalagnia is a sophisticated term for what is commonly referred to as “spring fever”—a heightened, often romantic mood sparked by the arrival of pleasant spring weather. A 1958 medical dictionary defined vernalagnia as the “springtime awakening of sexual desire.” (Alternatively, spring fever can also denote, as noted in a 19th-century American English dictionary, “the lethargic sensation caused by the first abrupt rise in spring temperatures.”)

Reverdie

Introduced into English in the late 19th century, reverdie is a term with deep roots in French culture, tracing back to the 14th century. Stemming from the verb reverdir, which means “to turn green again,” a reverdie refers to a song, poem, or dance created to honor the resurgence of spring.

Valentining

Since the 1800s, the melodic sounds of birds during their spring courtship rituals have been referred to as valentining. For those seeking precision, there’s more to explore…

Chelidonize

… the term chelidonize precisely describes the twittering of swallows as they soar above. It originates from the Greek word for swallow, chelidon—which also gives rise to …

Chelidonian

… the 17th-century adjective chelidonian. Beyond describing the rich red hue of a swallow’s throat, chelidonian winds refer to the gentle spring breezes that coincide with the return of swallows and martins each spring.

Erumpent and Breard

The 17th-century term erumpent refers to plants breaking through the soil in spring, symbolizing anything that bursts into view. The initial emergence of a plant above ground is known as the breard.

Lamb-Storms, After-Winter, and Winnol-Weather

Regarding spring weather, lamb-storms are spring thunderstorms, named for their timing coinciding with lambing season. An after-winter describes unseasonably harsh weather when spring is expected, while winnol-weather refers to stormy or cold conditions around St. Winwaloe’s feast day on March 3.

Frondescentia, Frondescent, Frondescence, and Frondesces

An 18th-century dictionary of botanical terms defines frondescentia as “the season of leafing,” or “the period when plants first reveal their leaves.” Similarly, a frondescent plant is one just starting to bud or sprout leaves; frondescence refers to the process of budding or leaf production; and when a plant frondesces, it develops or displays leaves or buds. All four terms stem from the Latin word for “leaf,” frons.

Routering-Bout

The term router, from old Yorkshire dialect, means “to move around noisily” or, as the English Dialect Dictionary explains, “to search through a cluttered space.” From this, routering-bout describes an extensive spring-cleaning of a household.

Floriage, Floriation, and Efflorescence

Introduced in the 1700s, floriage refers to a bloom or the collective flowers of a plant or tree. Similarly, floriation denotes a floral decoration (or, metaphorically, a musical embellishment), while efflorescence describes the process of flowering or the blossoming of flowers.