seasonal affective disorder

noun

: depression that tends to recur chiefly during the late fall and winter and is associated with shorter hours of daylight

—abbreviation SAD

Did you know?

Seasonal affective disorder hasn't been recognized as a medical condition for very long, and the term has only become part of the general English vocabulary during the past three decades or so (its earliest documented appearance in print dates from 1983). "Seasonal affective disorder" (abbreviated SAD) is also sometimes called "Winter Depression" and some researchers describe it as a "hibernation reaction" in which sensitive individuals react to the decreasing amounts of light and the colder temperatures of fall and winter.

Examples of seasonal affective disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What are some other ways to manage seasonal affective disorder? —Jamie Ballard, Allure, 4 Feb. 2025

About 5% of U.S. adults experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly referred to as seasonal depression, according to the American Psychiatric Association. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025

An estimated 5% of Americans experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition characterized by anxiety, depression, and fatigue. —Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 29 Jan. 2025

These lamps emit bright light that’s meant to mimic daylight and have been proven to improve depression symptoms in people with seasonal affective disorder (also known as SAD). —Jamie Ballard, Allure, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

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Medical Definition

seasonal affective disorder

noun

sea·​son·​al affective disorder ˌsēz-ᵊn-əl- 

: depression that tends to recur each year chiefly during the late fall and winter and is associated with shorter hours of daylight

—abbreviation SAD