refrigerate

verb re·frig·er·ate \ ri-ˈfri-jə-ˌrāt \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of refrigerate

refrigerated; refrigerating

transitive verb

: to make or keep cold or cool; specifically : to freeze or chill for preservation

foods that should be refrigerated

—

refrigeration

play \ri-ˌfri-jə-ˈrā-shən\ noun

See refrigerate defined for English-language learners

See refrigerate defined for kids

Examples of refrigerate in a Sentence

Refrigerate the mixture for an hour before serving.
refrigerate the cake after you frost it so that the frosting doesn't melt

Recent Examples of refrigerate from the Web

Make-ahead cooks can refrigerate the cut-but-uncooked gnocchi 2-3 days, or freeze them at least 6 months.

— gail monaghan, WSJ, "How To Make Gnocchi in 4 Simple Steps," 12 Apr. 2018
Let rest several hours, refrigerated, for the flavors to meld.

— taylor antrim, Vogue, "A Perfect Spring Recipe from Tamar Adler’s New Cookbook, Something Old, Something New," 5 Apr. 2018
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.

— nick kindelsperger, chicagotribune.com, "Like Bill Kim's food, 'Korean BBQ' cookbook defies categories," 4 Apr. 2018
Serve or wrap cut edges of cake with plastic wrap if planning to refrigerate.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Ocean Prime Orlando's 10 layer cake a fresh take on carrot cake," 28 Mar. 2018
Refrigerate: Citrus, apples, corn Don’t refrigerate: Tomatoes, garlic, stone fruit 4.

— the bon appétit test kitchen, Bon Appetit, "14 Kitchen Tips Worth Memorizing," 22 Mar. 2018
Make ahead: The braised meat and its liquid need to be refrigerated overnight.

— sara moulton, sacbee, "Oy yah! Gotta love a brisket with matzoh ball dumplings | The Sacramento Bee," 20 Mar. 2018
Scrape the mixture into one or more ramekins, cover (or pour a thin layer of warmed clarified butter over the surface, if desired), and refrigerate to meld flavors, at least two hours.

— adam ried, BostonGlobe.com, "Recipes: Refresh your St. Patrick’s Day menu with Irish seafood and a Guinness dessert," 9 Mar. 2018
Make ahead: The stacks need to be refrigerated for about 20 minutes, to set up.

— ellie krieger, charlotteobserver, "When Ellie Krieger makes a chocolate treat, she just crushes it | Charlotte Observer," 20 Feb. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of refrigerate

Latin refrigeratus, past participle of refrigerare, from re- + frigerare to cool, from frigor-, frigus cold — more at frigid

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First Known Use: 1534

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refrigerate Synonyms

REFRIGERATE Defined for English Language Learners

refrigerate

verb

Definition of refrigerate for English Language Learners

: to put or keep (something, such as food) in a refrigerator in order to make it cold or keep it fresh

REFRIGERATE Defined for Kids

refrigerate

verb re·frig·er·ate \ ri-ˈfri-jə-ˌrāt \

Definition of refrigerate for Students

refrigerated; refrigerating

: to make or keep cold or cool especially by placing in a refrigerator

Learn More about refrigerate

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

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refrigerate

Definition of refrigerate

refrigeration

Examples of refrigerate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of refrigerate from the Web

Origin and Etymology of refrigerate

refrigerate Synonyms

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REFRIGERATE Defined for English Language Learners

refrigerate

Definition of refrigerate for English Language Learners

REFRIGERATE Defined for Kids

refrigerate

Definition of refrigerate for Students

Learn More about refrigerate

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