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

At first, Leibowitz planned to dive into what was driving a surprising lack of seasonal affective disorder in Norway: Were the people there immune in some way to an inherently depressing season? —Angela Haupt, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024

What are the common signs of seasonal affective disorder? —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 23 July 2024

This seasonal change can bring on symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which affects about one in 20 Americans.1 SAD is a form of depression—with symptoms that can affect daily functioning—and is prompted by shorter daylight hours during the winter. —Gillian Mohney, Verywell Health, 25 Nov. 2024

For example, people who struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that can be triggered by the reduction of daylight in the fall and winter months, tend to crave carb-dense foods. —Julia Ries, Outside Online, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

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