Meanings
plural coldnesses
- countableuncountableThe sensation resulting from exposure to low temperatures.
- countableuncountablenatural sciencesThe reciprocal of absolute temperature.
(article title) Coldness and Temperature.
1975, J. Meixner, Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, volume 57, number 3, Springer, pages 281–2904 more examples
The coldness is the reciprocal of absolute temperature.
1969, W. A. Day, Morton E. Gurtin, Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, volume 33, number 1, Springer, pages 26–32(article title) The coldness, a universal function in thermoelastic bodies.
1971, Ingo Müller, Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, volume 41, number 5, Springer, pages 319–332This function will be called the coldness, its equilibrium value will be the reciprocal of absolute temperature.
1972, Ingo Müller, Entropy, Absolute Temperature, and Coldness in Thermodynamics: Boundary Conditions in Porous Materials Archive for Rational Mechanics and Analysis, Springer-Verlag, Wein GMBH, page 3α is called the affinity, β the inverse temperature or coldness, and γ the free expansion coefficient.
1995, Claude Garrod, Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Oxford University Press, page 111
Synonyms & antonyms
nounLimited enthusiasm or affection; coolness.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna lack of affection or enthusiasm
nounthe absence of heat
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-West Germanic*kaldanassī“coldness”
- Old Englishcealdness
- Middle Englishcoldnesse
- Englishcoldness
From Middle English coldnesse, from Old English cealdness, cealdnys (“coldness”), from Proto-West Germanic *kaldanassī (“coldness”), equivalent to cold + -ness. Cognate with West Frisian kâldens (“coldness”), Middle Low German koldenisse, kōldenisse (“coldness”), Middle High German kaltnisse, keltnisse (“coldness”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic بُرُودَة
- بُرُودَة (burūda)the relative lack of heat
Bulgarian студенина, хлад
- студенина (studenina)the relative lack of heat
- хлад (hlad)the sensation
- студ (stud)the sensation
- хла́дност (hládnost)limited enthusiasm or affection
- нелюбе́зност (neljubéznost)limited enthusiasm or affection
Catalan fredor, fredor
- fredorthe relative lack of heat
- fredorthe sensation
- fredorlimited enthusiasm or affection
Chinese Mandarin 寒冷, 冷淡
- 寒冷 (hánlěng)the relative lack of heat
- 冷淡 (lěngdàn)limited enthusiasm or affection
Esperanto malvarmeco
- malvarmecothe relative lack of heat
Finnish kylmyys, kylmyys
- kylmyysthe relative lack of heat
- kylmyysthe sensation
- kylmyyslimited enthusiasm or affection
French froideur, froid
- froideurthe relative lack of heat
- froidthe relative lack of heat
- froidthe sensation
- froideurlimited enthusiasm or affection
German Kälte, Kälte
- Kältethe relative lack of heat
- Kältethe sensation
- Kältelimited enthusiasm or affection
Greek ψύχρα, κρύο
- ψύχρα (psýchra)the relative lack of heat
- κρύο (krýo)the relative lack of heat
Hebrew קור, קור
- קור (qor)the relative lack of heat
- קור (qor)the sensation
- קרירות (qrirut)limited enthusiasm or affection
Irish fuacht
- fuachtthe relative lack of heat
Italian freddezza, freddo
- freddezzathe relative lack of heat
- freddothe sensation
- freddezzalimited enthusiasm or affection
Japanese 寒さ, 寒冷
- 寒さ (samusa)the relative lack of heat
- 寒冷 (kanrei)the relative lack of heat
- 冷淡さ (reitan-sa)limited enthusiasm or affection
Latin algor, algus
- algorthe relative lack of heat
- algusthe relative lack of heat
- frīgusthe relative lack of heat
- frīgorthe relative lack of heat
- algusthe sensation
- frigusthe sensation
- algorthe sensation
- frigorthe sensation
Māori makariri, anuanutanga
- makaririthe relative lack of heat
- anuanutangathe sensation
Persian سرما, سرما
- سرما (sarmâ)the relative lack of heat
- سرما (sarmâ)the sensation
- سردی (sardi)limited enthusiasm or affection
Portuguese frio, frio
- friothe relative lack of heat
- friothe sensation
- friezalimited enthusiasm or affection
- friolimited enthusiasm or affection
Romanian frig, frig
- frigthe relative lack of heat
- frigthe sensation
- răcealălimited enthusiasm or affection
Russian хо́лод, хо́лод
- хо́лод (xólod)the relative lack of heat
- хо́лод (xólod)the sensation
- хо́лод (xólod)limited enthusiasm or affection
- холо́дность (xolódnostʹ)limited enthusiasm or affection
- нелюбе́зность (neljubéznostʹ)limited enthusiasm or affection
Spanish frío, frialdad
- fríothe relative lack of heat
- frialdadthe relative lack of heat
- fríothe sensation
- frialdadthe sensation
- frialdadlimited enthusiasm or affection
- displicencialimited enthusiasm or affection
Tagalog lamig, lamig
- lamigthe relative lack of heat
- lamigthe sensation
Thai ความเย็น
- ความเย็น (kwaam-yen)the relative lack of heat
Turkish soğukluk, soğuma
- soğuklukthe relative lack of heat
- soğumathe relative lack of heat
- soğuklukthe sensation
- soğumathe sensation
- soğumalimited enthusiasm or affection
- soğukluklimited enthusiasm or affection
Cite this entry
coldness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coldness
“coldness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coldness. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “coldness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coldness.
Source: coldness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.