refrigerate

American  

[ri-frij-uh-reyt] / rɪˈfrɪdʒ əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object)

refrigerated, refrigerating

1. to make or keep cold or cool, as for preservation.

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refrigerate British  

/ rɪˈfrɪdʒəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to make or become frozen or cold, esp for preservative purposes; chill or freeze

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Other Word Forms

• nonrefrigerated adjective
• refrigeration noun
• refrigerative adjective
• refrigeratory adjective
• unrefrigerated adjective

Etymology

Origin of refrigerate

1525–35; < Latin refrīgerātus, past participle of refrīgerāre to make cool, equivalent to re- re- + frīgerāre to make cool, derivative of frīgus cold; -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to overnight.

From Salon

After Virgil’s death, according to the suit, the ship continued on the cruise toward Ensenada, Mexico, and kept Virgil’s body refrigerated until it returned to Los Angeles on Dec. 16, 2024.

From Los Angeles Times

Steve Wenham, from Portsmouth, who has worked on ferries in the Solent, said the Baltic Klipper was a refrigerated vessel specialising in soft fruits and was a "regular visitor" to the area.

From BBC

Cover with plastic wrap, weigh it down with whatever jars you have in the pantry, and refrigerate for two days.

From Salon

On Friday, rescuers in Indonesia were struggling to reach the worst-affected areas of Sumatra island, while workers at a hospital in southern Thailand moved bodies into refrigerated trucks after the morgue exceeded capacity.

From Barron's

Related Words

• cool
• freeze