vernal
vern·al/ˈvɝnəl/adjective
vernal is spelled V-E-R-N-A-L: 6 letters and 2 syllables (vern·al). It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 49,368th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, vernal means “Pertaining to or occurring in spring” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in vernal?
| Letters | 6: V-E-R-N-A-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: vern·al |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 49,368th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is vernal?
Vernal appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 49,368th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce vernal?
- UK /ˈvɜːn(ə)l/
- US /ˈvɝnəl/
Vernal has 2 syllables, split vern·al in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-vernal.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with vernal?
11 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as vernal from its last stressed vowel (/ɜɹnəl/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: verlan.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of vernal
- more vernal comparative
- most vernal superlative
- vernall
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does vernal mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Pertaining to or occurring in spring.
- 2
Having characteristics like spring; fresh, young, youthful.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Vernal in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense pertaining to or occurring in spring:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | vernal, printanier |
| German | Frühlings-, frühlingshaft |
| Portuguese | vernal |
| Spanish | vernal, primaveral |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does vernal come from?
From Latin vernālis (“(rare) of or pertaining to spring; vernal”), from vērnus (“of or pertaining to spring; vernal”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship). Vērnus is derived from vēr (“season of spring”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wósr̥ (“spring”)) + -nus (suffix forming adjectives). The English word is cognate with Old French vernal (modern French vernal), Italian vernale (“pertaining to spring; vernal”), Occitan vernal, Portuguese vernal (“pertaining to spring; vernal”), Spanish vernal (“pertaining to spring; vernal”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).