adj A1 Beginner Very common

cold

kohld

Cold (adj) means having a low temperature; not warm. Example: “The water in the lake was freezing cold.”

adj

Having a low temperature; not warm.

"The water in the lake was freezing cold."

"Put your coat on, it's cold outside."

Unfriendly or emotionally distant; lacking warmth toward other people.

"His cold reply made it clear he wasn't interested."

"She gave him a cold stare and walked off."

Not prepared or warmed up; done without practice or introduction.

"He walked into the interview cold, with no idea what to expect."

noun

A common mild illness that causes a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, and sometimes a sore throat.

"She caught a cold from her nephew over the weekend."

"Drink plenty of fluids when you have a cold."

How to Use Cold

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLow temperature (weather, food, drink), or a personality that feels distant and unfeeling, or the sniffly illness everyone gets in winter.

Common mistake

Don't mix up having "a cold" (the illness) with feeling "cold" (the temperature) — "I have a cold" and "I feel cold" mean very different things.

Common pairings

stone cold catch a cold cold shoulder go cold

Word Forms

colder comparative, more cold comparative, colds plural, coldest superlative, most cold superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The water in the lake was freezing _____.

Etymology

From Old English cald/ceald, going back through Proto-Germanic to a very old Indo-European root meaning "cold" — the same root that gave German kalt and Swedish kall.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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algid Arctic Baltic boreal brass monkeys brumal chill chilled clay-cold chilly cold as a mackerel cold as charity

Antonyms

hot warm

Related Words

new light north dead beautiful hot northern heat

Rhymes for cold

old gold bold hold sold fold mold scold ahold behold uphold untold

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “cold” mean?

The word “cold” means having a low temperature; not warm. In plain terms, low temperature (weather, food, drink), or a personality that feels distant and unfeeling, or the sniffly illness everyone gets in winter.

How do you pronounce “cold”?

“Cold” is pronounced kohld (/koʊld/ in IPA).

How do you use “cold” in a sentence?

Here is “cold” used in a sentence: “The water in the lake was freezing cold.”

What is another word for “cold”?

Words with a similar meaning to “cold” include algid, Arctic, Baltic, boreal, brass monkeys and brumal.

What is the opposite of “cold”?

The opposite of “cold” — its antonyms — are hot and warm.

What part of speech is “cold”?

Depending on how it is used, “cold” can be an adjective and a noun.

Where does the word “cold” come from?

The word “cold” comes from Old English. From Old English cald/ceald, going back through Proto-Germanic to a very old Indo-European root meaning "cold" — the same root that gave German kalt and Swedish kall.

Is “cold” a common word?

“Cold” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

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