icy

The word “icy” means covered with ice, or extremely cold. In plain terms, literally covered in ice or freezing cold; figuratively, cold and hostile in attitude.

“Icy” is pronounced EYE-see (/ˈaɪsi/ in IPA).

Here is “icy” used in a sentence: “The pavement was icy after the frost, so we walked carefully.”

“Icy” is an adjective.

“Icy” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Icy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: covered with ice, or extremely cold.

Icy typically describes surfaces literally covered in ice or extremely cold conditions, such as an icy road, while frosty more often describes a lighter coating of frost or a milder cold. Figuratively, both can describe an unfriendly manner, though icy tends to suggest a harsher, more deliberate coldness.

An icy manner specifically emphasizes a sharp, unfriendly coldness that feels deliberate or pointed, almost like a chill in the air. Describing someone as just "cold" can suggest general emotional distance, whereas icy implies a more noticeable, often hostile edge.

Freezing usually refers to a specific temperature at or near the point where water turns to ice, describing extreme cold in general. Icy specifically implies the presence of ice, such as on a road or windshield, and is also used figuratively for a person's cold, unfriendly demeanor, a sense freezing doesn't carry.