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

Life advice As days get darker and colder, people may experience seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 19 Dec. 2024

While some people might feel a bit more tired or sluggish this time of year, others may experience chronic and more serious symptoms—meeting criteria for specific diagnoses, such as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. —Christina Manian, Health, 26 Nov. 2024

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

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