windchill

noun

wind·​chill ˈwin(d)-ˌchil How to pronounce windchill (audio)
: a still-air temperature that would have the same cooling effect on exposed human skin as a given combination of temperature and wind speed

called also chill factor, windchill factor, windchill index

Examples of windchill in a Sentence

It's cold outside, and it feels even colder because of the windchill. Expect windchills in the 20s tonight.
Recent Examples on the Web Residents shivered in Kansas City, Missouri, where windchill temperatures near zero followed highs in the low 70s on Tuesday. Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024 Most of the state is under a windchill warning, continuing into Tuesday. David Jackson, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2024 Temperatures are expected to drop over the weekend, with subzero windchill expected. David Baratz, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2024 But as storms dump feet of snow and bring negative windchills to the Midwest, Prizker is asking Abbott to pause. NBC News, 13 Jan. 2024 At Mount Washington’s observatory in New Hampshire, which records some of the most intense weather on Earth, the windchill reported on the mountain Friday night was minus 108 degrees, according to the observatory’s website. John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Feb. 2023 The night is on track to be the coldest Iowa caucus in history as it’s not expected to rise above negative 2 degrees for the night, with the windchill as low as 35 degrees below zero. Cami Mondeaux, Washington Examiner, 16 Jan. 2024 The first start of Paleolithic clothes Tracking these artifacts across time and space suggests Paleolithic clothing emerged as an adaptation to stay toasty—and complex clothes were needed to survive extreme temperatures and windchills. Ian Gilligan, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2023 Made with breathable organic cotton, this lightweight hoodie works perfectly as a thin top layer that’ll also protect you from the windchill. Marissa Miller, Travel + Leisure, 21 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'windchill.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of windchill was in 1939

Dictionary Entries Near windchill

Cite this Entry

“Windchill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/windchill. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

windchill

noun
wind·​chill -ˌchil How to pronounce windchill (audio)
: a still-air temperature that would have the same cooling effect on exposed human flesh as a given combination of temperature and wind speed

called also windchill factor, windchill index

Medical Definition

windchill

noun
wind·​chill ˈwin(d)-ˌchil How to pronounce windchill (audio)
: a still-air temperature that would have the same cooling effect on exposed human skin as a given combination of temperature and wind speed

called also chill factor, windchill factor, windchill index

More from Merriam-Webster on windchill

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