freezing point

American  

noun

Physical Chemistry.

1. the temperature at which a liquid freezes.

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

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freezing point British  

noun

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

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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

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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.)

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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

See Examples For:

freezing point

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

Airlines in Britain and across Europe are obliged to use a different formula, Jet A1, which has a lower freezing point.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

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

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2024

They also used heavy water, a form of water where the hydrogen atoms are replaced by deuterium, which gives the water a higher freezing point, and helps create the smooth structure.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 12, 2024

In the centigrade scale, zero degrees is the freezing point of water.

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