fridge

American  

[frij] / frɪdʒ /

noun

Informal.

1. a refrigerator.

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fridge British  

/ frɪdʒ /

noun

1. informal short for refrigerator

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Etymology

Origin of fridge

1925–30; by shortening of refrigerator or Frigidaire

Explanation

Fridge is short for refrigerator, that giant kitchen appliance that keeps food cold. If you’re too hungry to say five syllables, just say you’re going to see what’s in the fridge. Although fridge is a little word, a fridge can be anything from a regular-sized refrigerator to one of those little mini-fridges that live in a dorm room or man cave. Fridge sounds like frigid, which means very cold. The colloquial fridge has been around since the mid-1920s, possibly inspired by the well-known refrigerator brand Frigidaire.

Example Sentences

There is a specific kind of quiet dread that comes with living alone and opening the fridge to find a tub of Greek yogurt you bought with the best of intentions.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

I just couldn’t get myself to pull out my credit card for what even Kirshner, a Brick fan, describes as a “$59 fridge magnet.”

From Slate • Apr. 26, 2026

"I'm not retiring again until after the fight. My priority at the moment is to beat this guy and eat the Easter eggs I've got in the fridge."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Ohai.ai App “This app changed my life. You can take a photo of the food in your fridge and it will suggest meals you can make.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

In a surprising gesture of kindness, he pats me on the shoulder before grabbing a drink from the fridge and retreating back into the basement.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller