canicular

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Word: Canicular

Part of Speech: Adjective

Definition: The word "canicular" refers to something that is related to or occurs during the "dog days" of summer, which are the hottest days of the year. This term comes from the star "Canicula," also known as the Dog Star, which rises in the sky during this season.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "canicular" to describe very hot weather, especially in the summertime.
• It is often used in a literary or formal context, so you might not hear it in everyday conversation.

Example Sentence:

• "The canicular days of July made it difficult to go outside without feeling exhausted."

Advanced Usage:

• "Canicular" can be used in more sophisticated writing to evoke imagery related to extreme heat or summer conditions, such as in poetry or descriptive essays.

Word Variants:

• Canicula: This is the Latin name for the Dog Star and can be used in discussions about astronomy.
• Canicularity: This noun form refers to the quality of being canicular or the period when the canicular days occur.

Different Meanings:

• While "canicular" specifically relates to summer heat, the term is often associated with discomfort and lethargy brought on by hot weather.

Synonyms:

• Dog days: This phrase also refers to the hottest days in summer.
• Sweltering: This means extremely hot, often in a way that is uncomfortable.
• Torrid: This can describe very hot weather, often with a sense of being dry or parched.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs that include "canicular," but you may come across phrases like "dog days of summer" in conversation, which captures a similar idea.

Summary:

"Canicular" is a word that describes the intense heat of the summer, particularly around the time when the Dog Star rises.

Academic

Adjective

1. relating to or especially immediately preceding or following the heliacal rising of Canicula (the Dog Star)
   • canicular days
2. of or relating to the dog days of summer
   • the canicular heat of the Deep South