What does the dog days of summer mean?

Many people today use the phrase to mean something like that—but originally, the phrase actually had nothing to do with dogs, or even with the lazy days of summer. Instead, it turns out, the dog days refer to the dog star, Sirius, and its position in the heavens. read more

The dog days or dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star Sirius, which Greek and Roman astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. read more

The “dog days,” I always thought, were those summer days so devastatingly hot that even dogs would lie around on the asphalt, panting. Many people today use the phrase to mean something like that—but originally, the phrase actually had nothing to do with dogs, or even with the lazy days of summer. read more

The words 'dog days of summer' might conjure up images of panting canines, but the origin of the phrase actually has to do with the stars. read more