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

US-produced Jet A has a higher freezing point from the Jet A‑1 fuel used elsewhere in the world -- making it less resistant to very low temperatures during long-haul flights.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

In the days before the mountain crashed down, Switzerland's zero-degree threshold – the altitude at which the temperature reaches freezing point – rose above 5,000 metres, higher than any mountain in the country.

From BBC • Aug. 2, 2025

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

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