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freezing point

American  

noun

Physical Chemistry.
  1. the temperature at which a liquid freezes.

    The freezing point of water is 32°F, 0°C.


freezing point British  

noun

  1. the temperature below which a liquid turns into a solid. It is equal to the melting point

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

freezing point Scientific  
/ frē′zĭng /
  1. The temperature at which a liquid, releasing sufficient heat, becomes a solid. For a given substance, the freezing point of its liquid form is the same as the melting point of its solid form, and depends on such factors as the purity of the substance and the surrounding pressure. The freezing point of water at a pressure of one atmosphere is 0°C (32°F); that of liquid nitrogen is −209.89°C (−345.8°F).

  2. See also state of matter


freezing point Cultural  
  1. The temperature at which a liquid changes into a solid; the same temperature as the melting point. (See phases of matter.)


Discover More

Water freezes at thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit (see also Fahrenheit) or zero degrees Celsius.

Etymology

Origin of freezing point

First recorded in 1740–50


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.

See Examples For:

A small increase in temperature, a higher freezing point or shift from snowfall to rainfall can determine whether a glacier survives at all, she adds.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

Jet A has a higher freezing point -- which makes it less resistant to very low temperatures during long-haul flights.

From Barron's ● May 7, 2026

It uses Jet A, which has a higher freezing point than the Jet A1 supplied here.

From BBC ● May 3, 2026

Sugar has the physical function in slushies of decreasing the freezing point of water.

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2024

It is the lowest temperature possible, a little more than 273 degrees Celsius below the freezing point of water.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

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