frigid

adjective

frig·​id ˈfri-jəd 

1

a

: intensely cold

frigid water

b

: lacking warmth or ardor : indifferent

had an emotionally frigid father

2

: lacking imaginative qualities : insipid

writing precise and frigid poetry

3

: experiencing diminished or absent sexual desire or response

—used especially of a woman

frigidly adverb

frigidness noun

Synonyms of frigid

• icy
• chilly
• cold
• freezing
• chill
• cool

Examples of frigid in a Sentence

The frigid gusts of wind stung their faces.

She was born into an emotionally frigid family.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pluto, a frigid mountainous world with craters and glaciers, is located among icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt, located at the outskirts of our solar system beyond Neptune's orbit – now the farthest planet from the sun. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026

The setup ranges from a bathtub heaped with ice cubes to a quick dip in a frigid lake or ocean. —Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

Surrounded by the icy landscape and frigid winds, the pair met and formed a connection, per CNN and Worldwide Antarctic Program. —Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

The motley mix of guests is not as formal; guests are here on vacation, wearing Birkenstocks and comfortable walking shoes in warmer weather, along with light sweaters and jeans during the cooler months (during Prague’s frigid winter, the hotel has very low occupancy). —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin frigidus, from frigēre to be cold; akin to Latin frigus frost, cold, Greek rhigos

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing frigid

• frigid zone

Rhymes for frigid

• rigid

Kids Definition

frigid

adjective

frig·​id ˈfrij-əd 

1

: freezing cold

2

: not friendly

a frigid stare

frigidity

frij-ˈid-ət-ē

noun

frigidly

ˈfrij-əd-lē

adverb

frigidness noun

Medical Definition

frigid

adjective

frig·​id ˈfrij-əd 

1

: lacking sexual desire : abnormally averse to sexual intercourse

—used especially of women

2

of a female : unable to achieve orgasm during sexual intercourse