wind chill

American  

[wind chil, win-] / ˈwɪnd ˌtʃɪl, ˈwɪn- /

Or windchill

noun

Meteorology.

1. the apparent temperature felt on the exposed human body owing to the combination of temperature and wind speed.

   Sorry, but when the wind chill is below zero, I lose all interest in skiing.

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wind-chill British  

/ wɪnd- /

noun

1. 1. the serious chilling effect of wind and low temperature: it is measured on a scale that runs from hot to fatal to life and allows for varying combinations of air temperature and wind speed

   2. ( as modifier )

      wind-chill factor

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Etymology

Origin of wind chill

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

“It’s the wind and wind chill coupled with temperatures below freezing that tend to push the operating tolerances beyond their thresholds.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

With the wind chill, it felt like minus eight degrees Fahrenheit -- about minus 22 Celsius -- but people kept coming.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Numerous protesters lined the perimeter of an ICE facility at Fort Snelling in St. Paul, where the temperature was reported to be well below 20 degrees with the wind chill.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2026

The temperatures were freezing — around 28 degrees, with the wind chill around 10 degrees.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

“It does solar radiation,” he went on, “barometric pressure, wind chill, rainfall, humidity—ambient and active—even estimated burn time adjusted for skin type.”

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson