wintry

Also win·ter·y

[win-tree]

adjective

wintrier, wintriest 

1. of or characteristic of winter: wintry skies.

   wintry blasts;

   wintry skies.

2. resembling winter weather; having snow, frost, cold, storms, etc..

   We had wintry weather well into May last year.

3. suggestive of winter, as in lack of warmth or cheer.

   a wintry manner.

   Synonyms: cheerless, bleak, cold

wintry

/ ˈwɪntərɪ, -trɪ, ˈwɪntrɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of weather) of or characteristic of winter

2. lacking cheer or warmth; bleak

Other Word Forms

• wintrily adverb
• wintriness noun
• unwintry adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wintry¹

First recorded before 900; Old English wintrig (not recorded in Middle English ); winter, -y ¹

Example Sentences

The road is typically closed each year between November and late May or early June due to wintry conditions, while all other park entrances remain open year-round.

From Los Angeles Times

Onshore winds mean North Sea facing coasts may not get much past 9 -11C and there could even be a few wintry showers over the higher ground of Scotland.

From BBC

The signs had been building before that wintry Monday night.

From Los Angeles Times

Other forecasts instead build high pressure to the north-west of the UK bringing a return of northerly winds, which would mean lower temperatures and perhaps even some wintry showers.

From BBC

There is also a chance of further wintry flurries for some, especially in parts of Scotland and north-east England.

From BBC

Related Words

• bleak 
• chilly 
• desolate 
• freezing 
• frigid 
• frosty 
• frozen 
• icy