defroster

American  

[dih-fraw-ster, -fros-ter] / dɪˈfrɔ stər, -ˈfrɒs tər /

noun

defrosters plural

1. a person or thing that defrosts.

2. especially British, demister.  Also called defogger.  a device for melting frost, ice, or condensation on a windshield or other window of an automobile, airplane, etc., by warming the window.

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defroster British  

/ diːˈfrɒstə /

noun

1. a device by which the de-icing process of a refrigerator is accelerated, usually by circulating the refrigerant without the expansion process

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• defrosters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of defroster

First recorded in 1925–30; defrost + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

defroster defrosters

I said my goodbyes, brushed the snow off my mini-SUV and cranked up the defroster.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2023

The Corvette came with windshield defroster and cigarette lighter.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 10, 2022

That means picking targets — the seat belt chime, rolling stops, a windshield defroster — that may strike executives and even some owners as trivial.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 27, 2022

And just yesterday, Tesla also had to recall another 27,000 vehicles due to a faulty windshield defroster.

From The Verge ● Feb. 10, 2022

Then, gingerly, peering out through the crescents of glass his defroster had carved from the icy windshield, he drove her down First Hill into town.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Without the center screen, the cars can lose rearview camera displays, settings that control windshield defrosters and indicators that say whether the cars are in drive, neutral and reverse.

From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2022

This also makes it harder for the driver to see warnings and controls for windshield defrosters, he said.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 9, 2021

Printed electronics in cars are not new — they have long been used, for example, in windshield defrosters.

From New York Times ● Jun. 30, 2012

The pinstripes may actually be defrosters, like the ones on your rear window.

From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2011

That prompted Chicago Daily News Columnist Robert J. Herguth to ask: "After 90 days, a sale on defrosters?"

From Time Magazine Archive