frosty
Americanadjective
-
characterized by or producing frost; freezing; very cold.
frosty weather.
-
consisting of or covered with a frost.
frosty designs on the windows; an avenue of frosty trees.
-
lacking warmth of feeling; unfriendly.
Their frosty greeting puzzled us.
-
resembling frost; white or gray.
a wedding dress of frosty satin.
-
of or characteristic of old age.
a frosty brow.
adjective
-
characterized by frost
a frosty night
-
covered by or decorated with frost
-
lacking warmth or enthusiasm
the new plan had a frosty reception
-
like frost in appearance or colour; hoary
Other Word Forms
- frostily adverb
- frostiness noun
- frostless adjective
- unfrosty adjective
Etymology
Origin of frosty
Explanation
Something that's frosty is covered with pale, icy frost. If you live in Vermont, your car windshield is probably frosty most winter mornings. You can describe the weather as frosty when there's a sharp chill in the air, or you can use the word more literally, to mean "covered in frost," like your frosty front lawn. When a person is frosty, however, she's emotionally cold — haughty, aloof, or even unfriendly. Frosty comes from the Old English fyrstig, "as cold as frost."
Vocabulary lists containing frosty
Chill Out! Synonyms for "Cold"
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White
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Let's Go Caroling, List 1
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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.
From the outset, the justices gave Trump’s solicitor general, John Sauer, a frosty reception.
From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026
In March our nights are still around 11 hours in length and so with clear skies, temperatures still have enough time to fall close to and below freezing to bring some frosty mornings.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
The name "itjilik," which means "frosty" or "frost" in Inuktitut, reflects the species' Arctic origins.
From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026
One frosty morning in January 1956, Gladys Brown and her younger brother, Nolan, drove north on Route 301 in Virginia.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
Miss Emily didn’t often say much; she’d just sit very straight on the stage, nodding at whatever was being said, occasionally turning a frosty eye towards any whispering in the crowd.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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.
