frigid

adjective

frig·​id ˈfri-jəd How to pronounce frigid (audio)
Synonyms of frigid
1
a
: intensely cold
frigid water
b
: lacking warmth or ardor : indifferent
had an emotionally frigid father
2
: lacking imaginative qualities : insipid
writing precise and frigid poetry
3
: experiencing diminished or absent sexual desire or response
—used especially of a woman
frigidly adverb
frigidness noun

Synonyms of frigid

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Examples of frigid in a Sentence

The frigid gusts of wind stung their faces. She was born into an emotionally frigid family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The breed was also useful in keeping families warm on frigid nights. — David MacK, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 That was before Shohei Ohtani’s two-way ambitions were thwarted, the lineup turned frigid and the legitimacy of Mark Walter’s entire business empire came into question. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Evie felt Atlas’s side of the bed freeze, go stiff, as if frigid air had suddenly come along, causing his breath and all bodily functions to stop. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 Masters, tall and slender, forded the frigid waist-deep water to wake up his father and convince the 63-year-old to evacuate. — Ren Larson, ProPublica, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for frigid

Word History

Etymology

Latin frigidus, from frigēre to be cold; akin to Latin frigus frost, cold, Greek rhigos

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of frigid was in 1619

Phrases Containing frigid

Rhymes for frigid

See All Rhymes for frigid

Browse Nearby Words

fright wig
frigid
Frigidaire
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Cite this Entry

“Frigid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frigid. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

frigid

adjective
frig·​id ˈfrij-əd How to pronounce frigid (audio)
1
: freezing cold
2
: not friendly
a frigid stare
frigidity
frij-ˈid-ət-ē
noun
frigidly
ˈfrij-əd-lē
adverb
frigidness noun

Medical Definition

frigid

adjective
frig·​id ˈfrij-əd How to pronounce frigid (audio)
1
: lacking sexual desire : abnormally averse to sexual intercourse
—used especially of women
2
of a female : unable to achieve orgasm during sexual intercourse
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