fridge
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of fridge
1925–30; by shortening of refrigerator or Frigidaire
Explanation
Fridge is short for refrigerator, that giant kitchen appliance that keeps food cold. If you’re too hungry to say five syllables, just say you’re going to see what’s in the fridge. Although fridge is a little word, a fridge can be anything from a regular-sized refrigerator to one of those little mini-fridges that live in a dorm room or man cave. Fridge sounds like frigid, which means very cold. The colloquial fridge has been around since the mid-1920s, possibly inspired by the well-known refrigerator brand Frigidaire.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He installed a Free Fridge, a pantry where people could access donated food.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
The Community Fridge Network is coordinated by Hubbub, a UK-wide charity dedicated to promoting sustainability and protecting the environment.
From BBC • Oct. 12, 2024
That one, the Mott Haven Fridge, was hugely popular and it motivated Zauderer to expand.
From Salon • Nov. 8, 2023
Reid Branson, volunteer for Seattle Community Fridge, said that they are currently overseeing seven locations in the Seattle area.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 26, 2023
Fridge open, dinner in the Tupperware with the burgundy top tossed into the bag.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
