icy

play

adjective \ ˈī-sē \

Definition of icy

icier; iciest

1 a :covered with, abounding in, or consisting of ice

b :intensely cold

2 :characterized by coldness :frigid

an icy stare

; also :steely

icy nerves

—

icily

play \ˈī-sə-lē\ adverb

—

iciness

play \ˈī-sē-nəs\ noun

See icy defined for English-language learners

See icy defined for kids

Examples of icy in a Sentence

an icy drink that was especially refreshing on that hot afternoon
she wondered why the salesclerk at the boutique had given her an icy glare

Recent Examples of icy from the Web

In other places, drivers negotiate serpentine canyon roads with knee-high guardrails or streets icy enough to host a Florida Panthers game.

— david j. neal, miamiherald, "Why is Florida home to the worst drivers? Where do we start?," 29 Aug. 2017
A dead spacecraft carrying stowaway microbes could contaminate icy Enceladus, a moon Cassini showed us has a salty ocean and the potential for life.

— ernie mastroianni, Discover Magazine, "Cassini’s Closing Act," 21 Aug. 2017
My blood pressure was plummeting and my skin was icy cold.

— rachel stuhler, Cosmopolitan, "I Almost Died During Childbirth. I’m Not Alone.," 21 Aug. 2017
Many of the wights fall into the icy water, and the rest are separated from the men.

— julie kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 6: 16 Things to Know About "Beyond the Wall"," 21 Aug. 2017
Which is not entirely surprising: The truth Jon is telling, after all, involves murderous zombies rising from the north’s icy wastelands to attack the warm humans of the south and win them over for the army of the dead.

— megan garber, The Atlantic, "Would You Believe Jon Snow?," 17 Aug. 2017
From the painful reshoots of D.C.’s Justice League to the icy torture of The Revenant to the classic drama of Cleopatra, here are 15 movies that were beyond difficult to make.

— yohana desta, vanityfair.com, "15 of the Most Torturous Movie Shoots in Hollywood History," 28 July 2017
Onto the truck went the washer, the dryer and the deep freezer that dripped a trail of icy water.

— alden woods, azcentral, "'Here for the eviction': More renters forced from homes as affordable-housing crisis deepens," 16 July 2017
One suggests a rocky or icy core forms first, and that this core then attracts gas to form the thick atmosphere characteristic of a gas giant.

— The Economist, "PlanetologyMore ways to classify planets," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'icy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of icy

before 12th century

icy Synonyms

ICY Defined for English Language Learners

icy

play

adjective

Definition of icy for English Language Learners

: covered with ice
: very cold
: not friendly or kind

ICY Defined for Kids

icy

play

adjective \ ˈī-sē \

Definition of icy for Students

icier; iciest

1 :covered with, full of, or being ice

icy roads

2 :very cold

an icy wind

3 :unfriendly 1

an icy look

—

icily

\ˈī-sə-lē\ adverb

Learn More about icy

See words that rhyme with icy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for icy Spanish Central: Translation of icy Nglish: Translation of icy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of icy for Arabic speakers

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Definition of icy

icily

iciness

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Examples of icy in a Sentence

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First Known Use of icy

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ICY Defined for English Language Learners

icy

Definition of icy for English Language Learners

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icy

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icily

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