defrost

[ dih-frawst, -frost ]

verb (used with object)

1. to remove the frost or ice from:

   to defrost a refrigerator; to defrost the windshield of a car.

2. to thaw or partially thaw (frozen food).

verb (used without object)

1. to become free of ice or frost:

   The refrigerator defrosted quickly.

2. to thaw, as frozen food:

   The meat took two hours to defrost.

defrost

/ diːˈfrɒst /

verb

1. to make or become free of frost or ice
2. to thaw, esp through removal from a refrigerator

Word History and Origins

Origin of defrost¹

First recorded in 1890–95; de- + frost

Example Sentences

Just make sure to defrost your lobster in the fridge overnight before coating it in mayo or slathering it in hot, melted butter.

From Salon

“D-d-don’t! That b-b-brat froze me and my officers with a j-j-juju bag! It t-t-took hours for us to defrost!”

From Literature

"You can't defrost a banana or salad and expect it to be the same as when it went into the freezer," she explains.

From BBC

Because shrimp are so small, they don’t need much time to defrost.

From Seattle Times

The BBC analysis also found that 31 of the clinics published defrost rates without stating how many patients the information was based on or specifying their sources.

From BBC

Related Words

• thaw