SUMMER, one of the seasons of the year, commencing in these northern regions on the day the sun enters Cancer, and ending when he quits Virgo: or, more strictly and universally, the summer begins on the day when the sun's meridian distance from the zenith is the least, and ends on the day when his distance is a mean betwixt the greatest and smallest. The end of summer coincides with the beginning of winter. See SEASONS.