cold wave
Americannoun
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Meteorology. a rapid and considerable drop in temperature, usually affecting a large area.
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a permanent wave in the hair set by special chemical solutions without the aid of any heating device.
noun
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meteorol a sudden spell of low temperatures over a wide area, often following the passage of a cold front
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hairdressing a permanent wave made by chemical agents applied at normal temperatures
Etymology
Origin of cold wave
First recorded in 1875–80
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.
“Parts of Asia, including northwest China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan are set to be hit by a cold wave, which threatens to push demand for heating higher,” analysts at ANZ Research say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026
A notable example is the costly February 2021 cold wave that blanketed nearly the entire country.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 27, 2024
No fatalities from the latest cold wave have been reported.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 20, 2024
A landslide in southwestern China’s Yunnan Province on Monday left at least two people dead and another 45 people buried, according to Chinese state media, as a cold wave blanketed much of the country.
From New York Times ● Jan. 22, 2024
Her hair is the same color as Carol’s, but done in a cold wave all over her head.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
