icy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈī-sē 

icier; iciest

1

a

: covered with, abounding in, or consisting of ice

b

: intensely cold

2

: characterized by coldness : frigid

an icy stare

also : steely

icy nerves

icily

ˈī-sə-lē 

adverb

iciness

ˈī-sē-nəs 

noun

iciness

2 of 2

noun

ic·​i·​ness ˈīsēnəs 

-sin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being icy

her voice carried … a quality of iciness

—Louis Bromfield

Synonyms of icy

Adjective

• frigid
• cold
• freezing
• chilly
• chill
• cool

Examples of icy in a Sentence

Adjective

an icy drink that was especially refreshing on that hot afternoon

she wondered why the salesclerk at the boutique had given her an icy glare

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Backstage, Punk had a friendly, if not icy, exchange with Damian Priest. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026

Launched in January 2006, New Horizons became the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto in 2015 before continuing deeper into the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune filled with icy objects. — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026

The Perseid meteor shower is finally active, bringing the potential for gorgeous shooting stars and fireballs as Earth plunges into the trail of debris shed by the icy comet Swift-Tuttle. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 July 2026

Catherine the Great enjoys sledding down icy ramps during the winter. — New York Times, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Phrases Containing icy

• icy cold

Rhymes for icy

• dicey
• pricey
• spicy
• devisee
• theodicy

Kids Definition

icy

adjective

ˈī-sē 

icier; iciest

1

a

: covered with, full of, or consisting of ice

b

: very cold

icy weather

2

: unfriendly sense 1

icily

-sə-lē 

adverb

iciness

-sē-nəs 

noun