frigid

[ frij-id ]

adjective

1. very cold in temperature:

   a frigid climate.

2. without warmth of feeling; without ardor or enthusiasm:

   a frigid reaction to the suggested law.

3. stiff or formal:

   a welcome that was polite but frigid.

   Synonyms: cool, chilly, frosty, distant, standoffish, aloof

4. (of a woman)
   1. inhibited in the ability to experience sexual excitement during sexual activity.
   2. unresponsive to sexual advances or stimuli.
5. unemotional or unimaginative; lacking passion, sympathy, or sensitivity:

   a correct, but frigid presentation.

frigid

/ ˈfrɪdʒɪd /

adjective

1. formal or stiff in behaviour or temperament; lacking in affection or warmth
2. esp of a woman
   1. lacking sexual responsiveness
   2. averse to sexual intercourse or unable to achieve orgasm during intercourse
3. characterized by physical coldness

   a frigid zone

Derived Forms

• friˈgidity, noun
• ˈfrigidly, adverb

Other Words From

• frigid·ness noun
• frigid·ly adverb
• non·frigid adjective
• non·frigid·ly adverb
• non·frigid·ness noun
• un·frigid adjective
• un·frigid·ly adverb
• un·frigid·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of frigid¹

1590–1600; < Latin frīgidus, equivalent to frīg ( us ) coldness (akin to Greek rhîgos; rigid ) + -idus -id ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of frigid¹

C15: from Latin frigidus cold, from frīgēre to be cold, freeze; related to Latin frīgus frost

Example Sentences

That’s when her portentous warpaint emerges, a crisp black border drawn from tear duct to wing crowning a frigid, distrustful gaze.

From Salon

A video posted on social media last week showed passengers draped in woollens, walking down the icy ladder of an Air India plane into the frigid air of Iqaluit, a remote city in Canada.

From BBC

Like a released champagne cork, laughter exploded and bubbled over, and the chemistry in the car changed from frigid temps to cozy and comfortable.

From Los Angeles Times

Mahesh, an engineer who scores a Space X contract, uproots his thriving, stable family from India, for frigid Pittsburgh, where someone leaves dead animals on their doorstep as a greeting.

From Salon

It’s a dreary Saturday in early May and the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter from coastal Veracruz, Mexico, is wearing a tan coat over her long orange dress to shield her diminutive frame from the frigid wind.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• chilly
• freezing
• frosty
• frozen
• glacial
• ice-cold
• icy
• wintry