frigid
Americanadjective
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very cold in temperature.
a frigid climate.
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without warmth of feeling; without ardor or enthusiasm.
a frigid reaction to the suggested law.
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stiff or formal.
a welcome that was polite but frigid.
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(of a woman)
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inhibited in the ability to experience sexual excitement during sexual activity.
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unresponsive to sexual advances or stimuli.
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unemotional or unimaginative; lacking passion, sympathy, or sensitivity.
a correct, but frigid presentation.
adjective
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formal or stiff in behaviour or temperament; lacking in affection or warmth
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lacking sexual responsiveness
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averse to sexual intercourse or unable to achieve orgasm during intercourse
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characterized by physical coldness
a frigid zone
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of frigid
1590–1600; < Latin frīgidus, equivalent to frīg ( us ) coldness (akin to Greek rhîgos; see rigid) + -idus -id 4
Explanation
Like the North Pole on the coldest day of winter, frigid is an adjective that means extremely chilly. It applies to both temperatures and personalities. Frigid comes to us from the Latin frigidus, meaning “cold, chill, cool” or “indifferent.” That explains why it's used to describe both arctic weather and someone's particularly unfriendly demeanor. So the inside of your ice box is certainly frigid, but so is a stern boss who refuses to smile or say hi when you hop in the same elevator. His glare is so emotionally frosty that it freezes you in your tracks.
Vocabulary lists containing frigid
Wintry Words
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Blizzard! Words to Learn on a Snow Day
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List 6
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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.
Carney said the goal of the energy support is "to help Ukrainians get through the winter," a difficult period when the country endures rolling blackouts amid often frigid temperatures.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Refugees are sleeping outdoors through sweltering days and frigid nights for fear that more buildings may collapse.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
I have dozens of friends and colleagues still living there, and my warmest memories of working in theater in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia come from this frigid city.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
The first shot has a miserable grandeur: a frigid landscape, frozen berries and wind so strong it nearly blows a starving traveler sideways.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
I was surprised at how hot the summer months were, when the winter months had been so frigid.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
