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

Ice sculptors come from around the world to work on the frosty playground. —Christa Swanson, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026

The mornings are frosty and flannels are back in rotation, which means skiers are pulling their gear out of storage and obsessing over ski pass options. —Evie Carrick, Outside, 8 Jan. 2026

Though winter brings shorter days and frosty weather, a trip to the slopes has a way of romanticizing the season. —Mecca Pryor, Essence, 8 Jan. 2026

Natural gas is increasingly flowing across borders in the Middle East — even between countries that until recently had frosty relations. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 7 Jan. 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