frosty

1 of 2

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

frostiness

2 of 2

noun

frost·​i·​ness -tēnə̇s 

-tin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being frosty or frigid

often criticized for his excessive frostiness toward modern art

—Newsweek

Synonyms of frosty

Adjective

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

Examples of frosty in a Sentence

Adjective

We received a frosty welcome.

a frosty autumn that was a sign of the brutal winter that followed

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As the mission goes on, Tenzing forms a connection with Edmund Hillary, played with frosty empathetic reserve by Tom Hiddleston. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

Sinot gave Larsson’s eyes a wash of frosty white shimmer, extending the pale shadow all the way up to the brows and enveloping the inner corners to serve as a canvas for more crystals. — Marci Robin, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026

He was stripped of the captaincy, reported to training camp despite being injured, missed the start of the season because of injury and received a frosty reaction from home fans during introductions prior to their first game last week. — CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

In the first photo, the SKIMS founder is seen wearing a pink tube top paired with a choker necklace and a frosty lip shade, all signature trends of the early aughts. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

1629, in the meaning defined above

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