Meanings
adjectivebitter cold (comparative more bitter cold, superlative most bitter cold)
comparative more bitter cold · superlative most bitter cold · alternative bittercold
- Of an environment, very cold and unpleasant.
Origin
Coined by William Shakespeare in 1602 in "Hamlet," act 1, scene 1: : For this relief much thanks. 'Tis bitter cold, : And I am sick at heart.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
bitter cold. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bitter%20cold
MLA
“bitter cold.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bitter%20cold. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bitter cold,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bitter%20cold.
Source: bitter cold on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.