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 of frosty

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

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

That war has largely been a cold one, at times extremely frosty. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 31 July 2026

This meeting, and the one Harry had last September with his father, are concrete first steps towards at least a thawing of those frosty relationships. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 July 2026

As celebrity guests and stars escaped the rain, more than a few grabbed a frosty martini from servers standing near the entrance as trays of lobster thermidor tartlets were passed about. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 July 2026

The relationship between the Heat and James initially was frosty but his since thawed. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026

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