canicular days
- noun
- /kəˈnɪkjələr deɪz/
:
días caniculares
- The canicular days are usually the hottest part of summer.
Examples
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The city seemed to slow down in the canicular days of August, with streets nearly empty by noon.
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Farm work was postponed until evening during the canicular days when the sun was less intense.
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During the canicular days, many people retreat to air-conditioned spaces to escape the heat.
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During the canicular days, many people prefer to stay indoors.
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During the canicular days, many people retreat to air-conditioned spaces to escape the heat.
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Farm work was postponed until evening during the canicular days when the sun was less intense.
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The city seemed to slow down in the canicular days of August, with streets nearly empty by noon.
Synonyms
30
3.2
A period of very hot weather that lasts several days
6
5.5
The hottest time of summer when people often rest and business slows down
1
3.5
A period of several days with much hotter weather than usual
A very hot time of the year when people stay inside to avoid the heat
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'canicular' means 'pertaining to the hottest days of summer' and combined with the noun 'days' yields a straightforward compositional meaning: the hottest period of the year. Note that while the construction is fully transparent, the adjective itself is low-frequency/rare, so many B1 learners may not know the constituent 'canicular' even though the phrase is predictably formed if they do.
Etymology
The noun canicular days comes from an old word meaning 'little dog' and the name for the bright star called the Dog Star, Sirius. Long ago people saw the Dog Star rise with the sun during the hottest weeks, so canicular days came to mean the 'hottest period' when people and animals slow down.