frosty
Americanadjective
-
frostier,
comparative
-
frostiest
superlative
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of frosty
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at frost, -y 1
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.
See Examples For:
Salesforce said Tuesday that it is making a nearly $6 billion acquisition at a 58% premium, but Wall Street’s response was frosty.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
Its launch, initially slated for 2014, had been indefinitely postponed after North Korea halted construction of its roads and customs facilities, as relations with Beijing turned frosty.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
The New York Times noted that Mackie tried and failed to gain acceptance for his designs "from the frosty corridors of high fashion," but Mackie said he had no regrets for embracing glitz.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
By 2024, they would release their frosty original track, “Cora de Hielo” under Warner Music Mexico; this featured Natt Calma and Mau Moctezuma, artists whom they met through the local indie scene.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
I looked up at the frosty gray sky.
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
Once we move to the “Mother” sequence, we’ve started to acclimate to the movie’s discomfiting rhythms — which is good considering that, if anything, Timothea and Lilith’s relationship with their mom is even frostier.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2025
The trade environment could be about to get frostier.
From Reuters ● Aug. 8, 2023
The news got a much frostier reception from the Kremlin.
From New York Times ● Jan. 25, 2023
Tributes have also been paid by countries that had a frostier relationship with Abe and Japan.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2022
At every step the air grew colder and frostier, there was so much cold and ice that it froze even the marrow in one's bones.
From Roumanian Fairy Tales by J. M. Percival
“This day will come as inevitably as spring comes to replace even the frostiest winter.”
From Washington Times ● Apr. 17, 2023
The Bentley is capable of getting you anywhere on earth that you’re not likely to go, from the deepest deserts to the frostiest arctic to the autobahn at 187 miles per hour.
From The Verge ● Mar. 8, 2016
But even the frostiest fashion editor might be allowed a little smile of anticipation at the lineup for this year's London Fashion Week.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2013
SE14bloke conjured up a scene to melt the frostiest of hearts.
From The Guardian ● May 27, 2010
My grandmother put on her frostiest look, but didn't answer him.
From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
