cold front

American  

[kohld fruhnt] / ˈkoʊld ˌfrʌnt /

noun

1. the zone separating two air masses, of which the cooler, denser mass is advancing and replacing the warmer.

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cold front British  

noun

1. the boundary line between a warm air mass and the cold air pushing it from beneath and behind as it moves

2. the line on the earth's surface where the cold front meets it

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cold front Scientific  

1. The forward edge of an advancing mass of cold air that pushes under a mass of warm air. Cold fronts often cause precipitation; water vapor in the rising warm air condenses and forms clouds, often resulting in heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, or snow. Winter cold fronts can cause temperatures to drop significantly. Summer cold fronts reduce humidity as drier, cooler air displaces the humid, warmer air. On a weather map, a cold front is depicted as a blue line with triangles that point in the direction in which the cold air is moving.

2. Compare occluded front warm front See illustration at front

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Etymology

Origin of cold front

First recorded in 1920–25

Compare meaning

How does cold-front compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cold front vs. warm front

Example Sentences

"A nearby cold front has moved in causing a highly unstable atmosphere," he explained.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

A cold front off Portugal was "acting like a heat pump, drawing up warm air", he said.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

Wednesday night's forecast currently looks like a cold front will move south across England and Wales bringing cloud and rain.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

A simple “thank you” would not suffice for 30 to 60 minutes of your time, especially in the wake of such a dangerous cold front.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026

A week later Duchess sensed another cold front bearing down from the northwest.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Related Words

• cold snap
• cold spell
• cold wave