out-of-season
|out-of-sea-son|
/aʊt əv ˈsiːzən/
(out of season)
not in the proper season / off-season
Etymology
'out of season' originates from English, specifically the words 'out' (Old English 'ūt') and 'season' (Old French 'saison', from Latin 'satio'), where 'out' meant 'outside/not in' and 'satio' was related to 'sowing/period'.
'out' (Old English 'ūt') and 'season' (Old French 'saison' < Latin 'satio') combined in Middle English as phrases like 'out of seson' and eventually became the modern English phrase 'out of season'.
Initially, it referred more literally to being outside the sowing/harvest or appropriate agricultural period; over time it broadened to mean not in the usual period for availability, popularity, or appropriateness ('off-season').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not in the usual period when something (fruit, fish, activity) is available or at its best; not in the appropriate season.
These strawberries are out-of-season and taste sour.
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Adjective 2
unavailable or rare because it is not the regular season for it (often used for seasonal businesses or services).
Many hotels are closed and restaurants are out-of-season in that coastal town during winter.
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Adjective 3
not currently fashionable or appropriate; outmoded in the current period.
Wearing that style now seems out-of-season among young people.
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Adverb 1
at a time when something is not in season; during the off-season.
We prefer to travel out-of-season to avoid the crowds.
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Last updated: 2025/12/24 01:02