Sæsonen

Sæsonen is the definite form of the Danish noun sæson, meaning a period of time characterized by a particular activity, event, or condition. While it can refer to the natural seasons of the year, it is more commonly used for defined intervals within a year, such as a sports season, hunting season, fishing season, or a fashion or television season. The indefinite form is en sæson, and the plural is sæsoner; the definite form is sæsonen.

Etymology and scope: The term is borrowed from French saison, which in turn comes from older Romance roots. In Danish usage, sæsonen emphasizes the time when a specific activity or industry is at work, rather than the climate of the year.

Usage and examples: Sæsonen contrasts with årstiden, the climatic seasons, by highlighting activity-based periods. Common phrases include højsæsonen (high season) and lavsæsonen (low season). Examples: fodboldens sæson begyndte i august; jagtsæsonen varer fra september til februar; turistsæsonen i København er fra juni til august; TV-sæsonen løber normalt fra efteråret til foråret.

Context and nuance: The term is widely used in sports, agriculture, tourism, media, and retail to denote the time window when services, events, or products are most active or in demand. It may overlap with calendar boundaries but is defined more by characteristics of the activity rather than fixed dates.