frosty

adjective

ˈfrȯ-stē 

frostier; frostiest

1

a

: attended with or producing frost : freezing

b

: briskly cold : chilly

2

: covered or appearing as if covered with frost : hoary

a man of 65, with frosty eyebrows and hair

—Nan Robertson

3

: marked by coolness or extreme reserve in manner

his smile was distinctly frosty

—Erle Stanley Gardner

frostily

ˈfrȯ-stə-lē 

adverb

frostiness

ˈfrȯ-stē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• algid
• arctic
• bitter
• bone-chilling
• chill
• chilly
• cold
• coldish
• cool
• coolish
• freezing
• frigid
• gelid
• glacial
• ice-cold
• icy
• nipping
• nippy
• numbing
• polar
• shivery
• snappy
• wintry
• wintery

Examples of frosty in a Sentence

We received a frosty welcome.

a frosty autumn that was a sign of the brutal winter that followed

Recent Examples on the Web

Monday was also expected to be another frosty day but slightly milder compared with Sunday. —Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 23 Dec. 2024

Regular ol’ dryness Technically, those frosty bits in your brows might not be dandruff (a.k.a. —Jenna Ryu, SELF, 20 Dec. 2024

Among them: Josh Heupel, the former OU quarterback beloved by Sooners fans, returns to Norman after his frosty exit when Bob Stoops fired him as offensive coordinator. —Blake Toppmeyer, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Clearly alarmed by the frosty figure, Nala backs away with caution, maintaining intense eye contact. —Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

frosty

adjective

ˈfrȯ-stē 

frostier; frostiest

1

: cold enough to produce frost

a frosty night

2

: covered or appearing to be covered with frost

a frosty glass

3

: cool in manner

frostily

-stə-lē 

adverb

frostiness

-stē-nəs 

noun