winter
Americannoun
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the cold season between autumn and spring in northern latitudes (in the Northern Hemisphere from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox; in the Southern Hemisphere from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox).
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the months of December, January, and February in the U.S., and of November, December, and January in Great Britain.
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cold weather.
a touch of winter in northern Florida.
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the colder half of the year (opposed to summer).
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a whole year as represented by this season.
a man of sixty winters.
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a period like winter, as the last or final period of life; a period of decline, decay, inertia, dreariness, or adversity.
adjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of winter.
a winter sunset.
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(of fruit and vegetables) of a kind that may be kept for use during the winter.
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planted in the autumn to be harvested in the spring or early summer.
winter rye.
verb (used without object)
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to spend or pass the winter.
to winter in Italy.
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to keep, feed, or manage during the winter, as plants or cattle.
plants wintering indoors.
noun
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(sometimes capital) the coldest season of the year, between autumn and spring, astronomically from the December solstice to the March equinox in the N hemisphere and at the opposite time of year in the S hemisphere
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( as modifier )
winter pasture
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the period of cold weather associated with the winter
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a time of decline, decay, etc
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poetic a year represented by this season
a man of 72 winters
verb
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(intr) to spend the winter in a specified place
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to keep or feed (farm animals, etc) during the winter or (of farm animals) to be kept or fed during the winter
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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wintersimple
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winterssimple
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have winteredperfect
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has winteredperfect
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am winteringprogressive
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are winteringprogressive
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is winteringprogressive
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have been winteringperfect progressive
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has been winteringperfect progressive
Past
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winteredsimple
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had winteredperfect
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was winteringprogressive
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were winteringprogressive
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had been winteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of winter
before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Winter, Old Norse vetr, Gothic wintrus; (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun; akin to wet, water
Explanation
Winter is the coldest season of the year, often bringing snow, shorter days, longer nights, and cloudy gray skies. The word winter describes the season when temperatures drop, and the days grow shorter. It’s a time when nature slows down — trees lose their leaves, animals hibernate, and people bundle up in warm clothes. In some places, winter means snow-covered landscapes, snowball fights, and cozy nights spent by a warm fire, while in others, it might simply mean cooler weather than usual.
Vocabulary lists containing winter
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.
Winter weather was harsher than usual, and sometimes a post-holiday lull in consumer spending is bigger than the seasonal adjustments forecast.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 25, 2026
But after Winter Storm Uri took more than 200 lives in 2021, the state diversified its energy portfolio and created a more resilient transmission system through market and regulatory incentives.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
But three years later, Labour was swept out of office following the industrial strife of the Winter of Discontent, and the Conservatives held power for the next 18 years.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
Winter was 12 years old when she auditioned for the role 15 years ago.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
He was the Black Tortoise of Winter, indestructible and invincible.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
