refrigerate

verb

re·​frig·​er·​ate ri-ˈfri-jə-ˌrāt 

refrigerated; refrigerating

transitive verb

: to make or keep cold or cool

specifically : to freeze or chill for preservation

foods that should be refrigerated

refrigeration

ri-ˌfri-jə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

Synonyms

• chill
• cool

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 on the Web

Test Kitchen Tip: While refrigerating peanut butter may seem like the obvious choice, there is one notable drawback: cold peanut butter is usually significantly harder to spread than room temperature peanut butter. —Annie Peterson, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Jan. 2025

They can be kept in a pantry but must be refrigerated after opening. —Sari Hitchins, Parents, 24 Jan. 2025

For example, cooked leftovers can be refrigerated for four days, max, while raw meat and poultry should be limited to half that. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 16 Jan. 2025

Fresh celery juice can be kept refrigerated and covered for three to four days. —Hannah Coakley, Msph, Rdn, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

refrigerate

verb

re·​frig·​er·​ate ri-ˈfrij-ə-ˌrāt 

refrigerated; refrigerating

: to make or keep cold or cool

especially : to freeze or chill food to preserve it

refrigeration

-ˌfrij-ə-ˈrā-shən 

noun