midwinter

noun

mid·​win·​ter ˈmid-ˈwin-tər 

-ˌwin-

1

: the winter solstice

2

: the middle of winter

midwinter adjective

Examples of midwinter in a Sentence

the heavy snows and frigid temperatures of midwinter

Recent Examples on the Web

Arriving roughly at midwinter, the seasonal halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, historians believe Groundhog Day has its origins in the pre-Christian Celtic celebration of Imbolc, later syncretized into Candlemas. —Avery Keatley, NPR, 1 Feb. 2025

Oversized long coat $230 $173 at Nordstrom Ultimately, though, any Londoner needs a coat with good coverage and deep warmth for bleak midwinter in the smoke. —Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2025

There’s an incredible description of him going with some Chinese friends in midwinter to a restaurant near the Temple of Heaven. —The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025

Historically, the largest fires in California have mostly occurred in the fall; however, fires this year occurred in midwinter, in January. —Sagar Parajuli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

midwinter

noun

mid·​win·​ter ˈmid-ˈwint-ər 

1

: the middle of winter

2

: the winter solstice