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

• algid
• arctic
• bitter
• bone-chilling
• chill
• chilly
• cold
• coldish
• cool
• coolish
• freezing
• frigid
• gelid
• glacial
• ice-cold
• icy
• nipping
• nippy
• numbing
• polar
• shivery
• snappy
• wintry
• wintery

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

Anne Hathaway’s Lureen, all rodeo sparkle and small-town ambition, is Jack’s half-hearted refuge; her final scene is a master class in polite denial, her eyes steel behind a frosty Texas drawl. —Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 27 June 2025

Dressing to the season is one idea: Linen does well at summertime events, autumnal shades and layers thrive in fall, velvets can warm up winter’s frosty chill, and floral prints in pastel colors emphasize spring’s budding blossoms. —Catie Pusateri, Glamour, 26 June 2025

Species of the plant native to California, typically bearing frosty pink flowers tipped with white, die in late fall and take the parasite with it. —Calista Oetama, Sacbee.com, 21 June 2025

Move it to the greenhouse before frosty temperatures arrive. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 June 2025

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