winter

¹win·ter

noun \ˈwin-tər\

Definition of WINTER

1

: the season between autumn and spring comprising in the northern hemisphere usually the months of December, January, and February or as reckoned astronomically extending from the December solstice to the March equinox

2

: the colder half of the year

3

: year <happened many winters ago>

4

: a period of inactivity or decay

Examples of WINTER

1. They spend winters in Florida.
2. We're in for a cold winter this year, I hear.
3. She traveled there two winters ago.
4. the last day of winter

Origin of WINTER

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German wintar winter and perhaps to Lithuanian vanduo water, Old English wæter — more at water

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to WINTER

Synonyms: layoff, time-out, downtime

Related Words: break, breath, breather, interruption, lull, pause, recess; abeyance, doldrums, dormancy, latency, quiescence, suspense, suspension

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Other Calendar Terms

antedate, estival, gloaming, luster, sesquicentennial

Rhymes with WINTER

hinter, linter, minter, Pinter, printer, sinter, splinter, sprinter, squinter, tinter