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frostbite

[frawst-bahyt, frost-]
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noun

injury to any part of the body after excessive exposure to extreme cold, sometimes progressing from initial redness and tingling to gangrene.

verb (used with object), frost·bit, frost·bit·ten, frost·bit·ing.

to injure by frost or extreme cold.

RELATED WORDS

snow, chill, frost, refrigeration, rawness, ague, iciness, freeze, coldness, draft, frigidity, shivering, inclemency, congelation, glaciation, wintertime, algor, wintriness

Nearby words

  1. frost suture,
  2. frost, robert,
  3. frost-free,
  4. frost-lang operation,
  5. frostbelt,
  6. frostbite sailing,
  7. frostbitten,
  8. frosted,
  9. frosted liver,
  10. frostfish

Origin of frostbite

First recorded in 1605–15; frost + bite
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for frostbite

British Dictionary definitions for frostbite

frostbite

noun

destruction of tissues, esp those of the fingers, ears, toes, and nose, by freezing, characterized by tingling, blister formation, and gangrene
NZ a type of small sailing dinghy
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
Word Origin and History for frostbite

frostbite

n.

also frost-bite, 1813, from frost (n.) + bite (n.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for frostbite

frostbite

[frôst′bīt′]

n.

Injury or destruction of skin and underlying tissue, most often that of the nose, ears, fingers, or toes, resulting from prolonged exposure to freezing or subfreezing temperatures.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for frostbite

frostbite

[frôst′bīt′]

Damage to a part of the body as a result of exposure to freezing temperatures. It is caused by a loss of blood supply and the formation of ice crystals in the affected body part.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.