the name of one of the seasons of the year, being one of the quarters when the year is divided into four quarters, or one half when the year is divided only into two, summer and winter. In the former case, summer is the quarter during which, in northern climates, the sun is passing through the three signs Cancer, Leo, Virgo, or from the time of the greatest declination, till the sun again comes to the equinoctial, or has no declination; which is from about the 21st of June till about the 22d of September. In the latter case, summer contains the six warmer months, while the sun is on one side of the equinoctial; and winter the other six months, when the sun is on the other side.