canicular
- adjective
- /kəˈnɪkjələr/
:
canicular
- The oppressive heat during the canicular days made it difficult to sleep at night.
Examples
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The festival was scheduled for the canicular part of the summer, when Sirius appeared in the dawn sky.
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The canicular heat made everyone feel lethargic.
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Ancient Romans associated the canicular period with increased fevers and storms.
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During the canicular days, the park was nearly empty.
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Many people avoid outdoor activities during the canicular days of summer because of the intense heat.
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The canicular period often brings sweltering temperatures that can be unbearable without proper hydration.
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In ancient times, the arrival of the canicular season signaled a time of rest and relaxation for farmers.
Synonyms
3
2.8
Having warm, bright, and light qualities like sunny days
Compounds
The hottest period of the year is usually in July and August when people stay indoors
Surface Forms
Morphology
canicular = canicul + ar
Formed from a Latin combining-stem (canicul- 'little dog') plus a Latin-derived adjectival suffix -ar; the components are not productive or recognizable to an average B1 learner, so the meaning is not recoverable from English base words.
Etymology
The word canicular comes from Latin canicula, meaning 'little dog', a name for Sirius, the 'Dog Star'. People long ago linked the star's rising with the hottest days of summer, so canicular now means 'relating to the dog days' and shares the same root as canine ('dog').