midwinter

[ noun mid-win-ter, -win-; adjective mid-win-ter ]

noun

1. the middle of winter.
2. the winter solstice, around December 22.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or occurring in the middle of the winter.

midwinter

/ ˈmɪdˈwɪntə /

noun

1. 1. the middle or depth of the winter
   2. ( as modifier )

      a midwinter festival

2. another name for winter solstice

Other Words From

• midwintry midwinter·ly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of midwinter¹

before 1150; Middle English, Old English; mid ¹, winter

Example Sentences

The ground in November is not as cold as it would be in midwinter so some of the snow hitting the roads will probably melt, though larger accumulations could gather on colder grassy surfaces.

From BBC

At the other end of the world, scientists living in Antarctica throw their annual midwinter feast to commemorate the longest, darkest night on the continent.

From New York Times

What a wonderful and thoughtful end to a sunny midwinter day and the start of a beautiful full-moon evening!

From Seattle Times

With most of the Bay Area receiving double the average rainfall by the midwinter of 1997-98, “a number of slow-moving landslides were activated” that winter and into spring, according to the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

But at age 93, a jaunt up the Pacific Coast Highway by car midwinter seemed a bit daunting.

From Seattle Times