midwinter

American  

[mid-win-ter, -win-, mid-win-ter] / ˈmɪdˈwɪn tər, -ˌwɪn-, ˈmɪdˌwɪn tər /

noun

1. the middle of winter.

2. the winter solstice, around December 22.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or occurring in the middle of the winter.

midwinter British  

/ ˈmɪdˈwɪntə /

noun

1. 1. the middle or depth of the winter

   2. ( as modifier )

      a midwinter festival

2. another name for winter solstice

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Other Word Forms

• midwinterly adjective
• midwintry adjective

Etymology

Origin of midwinter

before 1150; Middle English, Old English; mid ¹, winter

Example Sentences

Even in midwinter, they need to swim, but still must be kept warm and dry.

From The Wall Street Journal

“And everyone seems so happy—you feel part of a community vibe, and people are more social than in the short, cold midwinter days.”

From The Wall Street Journal

As a result, vegetation that would typically be full of water by midwinter instead remained parched.

From Los Angeles Times

The ground in November is not as cold as it would be in midwinter so some of the snow hitting the roads will probably melt, though larger accumulations could gather on colder grassy surfaces.

From BBC

At the other end of the world, scientists living in Antarctica throw their annual midwinter feast to commemorate the longest, darkest night on the continent.

From New York Times