wintry

adjective

win·​try ˈwin-trē 

variants or less commonly wintery

ˈwin-t(ə-)rē 

wintrier; wintriest

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of winter

2

a

: weathered by or as if by winter : aged, hoary

b

: cheerless, chilling

a wintry greeting

wintriness

ˈwin-trē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of wintry

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

Examples of wintry in a Sentence

a wintry mix of sleet and snow

She gave me a wintry welcome.

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, areas to the northwest would see mostly wintry precipitation throughout the duration of the event. —Matthew Villafane, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025

Named after the wintry European region, the Scandinavian hairline refers to a dyeing technique that lightens the wispy, fine strands that frame your face. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 19 Dec. 2024

From the iconic mountain municipalities of Colorado to the wintriest escapes in the Northeast, here's where to plan a stateside ski vacation. —Kayleigh Kulp, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2023

It’s all very wintry and chilly and dark, but lovely as well. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for wintry

• reentry

Kids Definition

wintry

adjective

win·​try ˈwin-trē 

wintrier; wintriest

1

: of, relating to, or typical of winter

wintry weather

2

: not warm and friendly : cheerless

a wintry welcome

wintriness noun