the cold season between autumn and spring in northern latitudes (in the Northern Hemisphere from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox; in the Southern Hemisphere from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox).
the months of December, January, and February in the U.S., and of November, December, and January in Great Britain.
cold weather: a touch of winter in northern Florida.
the colder half of the year (opposed to summer).
a whole year as represented by this season: a man of sixty winters.
a period like winter, as the last or final period of life; a period of decline, decay, inertia, dreariness, or adversity.
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of winter: a winter sunset.
(of fruit and vegetables) of a kind that may be kept for use during the winter.
planted in the autumn to be harvested in the spring or early summer: winter rye.
verb (used without object)
to spend or pass the winter: to winter in Italy.
to keep, feed, or manage during the winter, as plants or cattle: plants wintering indoors.
VIDEO FOR WINTER
WATCH NOW: We Asked: What's Your Favorite Winter Word?
It's cold. It's dark. It's the middle of winter. But some people like winter, right? To find out, we asked these people what their favorite winter words are. Do you agree?
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Origin of winter
before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Winter,Old Norse vetr,Gothic wintrus; (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun; akin to wet, water
In Stowe, Vermont, for instance, summer hiking and winter skiing drive most tourist traffic, but summer travel was dampened by the coronavirus’s first wave, and Vermont’s popular ski mountains may shut down this winter.
Pick Your Poison|Nick Mancall-Bitel|September 3, 2020|Eater
New research shows that 2018’s winter ice was the lowest in 5,500 years — and that human-caused climate change is linked to this record.
Bering Sea winter ice shrank to its lowest level in 5,500 years in 2018|Carolyn Gramling|September 3, 2020|Science News
They’re teaching students not just about climate change, but also how to live through droughts or long winters.
Schools Teach Kids How to Survive the Future’s Harsh Climates|Charu Kasturi|August 7, 2020|Ozy
Priscu, a regents professor of polar ecology at Montana State University, got his first taste of winter more than 40 years ago after entering a doctoral program at the University of California, Davis in microbial ecology.
He Found ‘Islands of Fertility’ Beneath Antarctica’s Ice|Steve Nadis|July 20, 2020|Quanta Magazine
The Arctic — that region that makes up the far North of our planet — has now emerged from its long winter night.
Let’s learn about the Arctic|Sarah Zielinski|April 21, 2020|Science News For Students
One line in “Winter Wonderland” has stopped countless people dead in their tracks.
The Most Confusing Christmas Music Lyrics Explained (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After all, the Russians were about to mount a winter offensive of their own.
Hitler’s Hail Mary|James A. Warren|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But Winter is dead, Clapton is tired of life on the road, and King unreliable in concert.
The Best Albums of 2014|Ted Gioia|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With the harsh Middle Eastern winter approaching fast, what people in Syria and Iraq need most, in fact, is humanitarian support.
Dutch Biker Gangs Vs. ISIS|Nadette De Visser, Christopher Dickey|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Micah is 10 years old and he had a coat geared to the season, a Patagonia winter jacket with a hood.
The Wildly Peaceful, Human, Almost Boring, Ultimately Great New York City Protests for Eric Garner|Mike Barnicle|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was trying to remember whether or not I'd put moth-balls in your winter suit.'
The Sick-a-Bed Lady|Eleanor Hallowell Abbott
In the latter part of winter, my only cow sickened and died, a loss which we seriously felt.
Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow|Eliza R. Snow Smith
It'd take all he's worth to feed him through the winter, and he'd be no use to you at all.
The Hills of Desire|Richard Aumerle Maher
This one lives in the eastern half of the country in summer, and goes far south for the winter.
Citizen Bird|Mabel Osgood Wright and Elliott Coues
The specific name griseus means gray, and probably has reference to the grayish color of the winter plumage.
Birds and Nature Vol. 9 No. 2 [February 1901]|Various
British Dictionary definitions for winter
winter
/ (ˈwɪntə) /
noun
(sometimes capital)the coldest season of the year, between autumn and spring, astronomically from the December solstice to the March equinox in the N hemisphere and at the opposite time of year in the S hemisphere
(as modifier)winter pasture
the period of cold weather associated with the winter
a time of decline, decay, etc
mainlypoetica year represented by this seasona man of 72 winters Related adjectives: brumal, hibernal, hiemal
verb
(intr)to spend the winter in a specified place
to keep or feed (farm animals, etc) during the winter or (of farm animals) to be kept or fed during the winter
Wintry Word Facts To Discuss Around The Holiday TableReady for endless family banter over the holidays? Prepare yourself with these "cool" facts about wintry words, and impress everyone in the process.
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Dictionary.com’s Winter Break Word Challenges For KidsIt may be freezing outside, but you can keep your kids' minds active and energized with these fun winter word challenges.