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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

vernal \ver"nal\ (v[~e]r"nal), a. [L. vernalis, fr. vernus
vernal, ver spring; akin to Gr. 'e`ar, Skr. vasanta, Icel.
v[=a]r, and E. Easter, east.]
1. Of or pertaining to the spring; appearing in the spring;
as, vernal bloom.
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And purple all the ground with vernal flowers.
--Milton.
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2. Fig.: Belonging to youth, the spring of life.
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When after the long vernal day of life. --Thomson.
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And seems it hard thy vernal years
Few vernal joys can show? --Keble.
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{Vernal equinox} (Astron.), the point of time in each year
when the sun crosses the equator when proceeding
northward, about March 21, when day and night are of
approximately equal duration. The beginning of the Spring
season.

{Vernal grass} (Bot.), a low, soft grass ({Anthoxanthum
odoratum}), producing in the spring narrow spikelike
panicles, and noted for the delicious fragrance which it
gives to new-mown hay; -- also called {sweet vernal
grass}. See Illust. in Appendix.

{Vernal signs} (Astron.), the signs, Aries, Taurus, and
Gemini, in which the sun appears between the vernal
equinox and summer solstice.
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