frigid

adjective

frig·​id ˈfri-jəd 

1

a

: intensely cold

frigid water

b

: lacking warmth or ardor : indifferent

had an emotionally frigid father

2

: lacking imaginative qualities : insipid

writing precise and frigid poetry

3

a

: abnormally averse to sexual intercourse

—used especially of women

b

of a female : unable to achieve orgasm during sexual intercourse

frigidly adverb

frigidness noun

Synonyms

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

Examples of frigid in a Sentence

The frigid gusts of wind stung their faces.

She was born into an emotionally frigid family.

Recent Examples on the Web

Julio Cervantes, who survived falling from the bridge, narrowly escaped drowning by rolling down his work vehicle’s window and fighting through the frigid water despite being unable to swim, attorneys said. —Eric Tucker, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024

Body cam footage released by the Tacoma Police Department on Facebook Tuesday, April 9, shows officers sprinting through what appears to be a park area before jumping into the frigid waters of Wapato Lake. —Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin frigidus, from frigēre to be cold; akin to Latin frigus frost, cold, Greek rhigos

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing frigid

• frigid zone

Kids Definition

frigid

adjective

frig·​id ˈfrij-əd 

1

: freezing cold

2

: not friendly

a frigid stare

frigidity

frij-ˈid-ət-ē

noun

frigidly

ˈfrij-əd-lē

adverb

frigidness noun

Medical Definition

frigid

adjective

frig·​id ˈfrij-əd 

1

: lacking sexual desire : abnormally averse to sexual intercourse

—used especially of women

2

of a female : unable to achieve orgasm during sexual intercourse