cold
/koʊld/
adjective
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*kaldaz — cold
Overview
Meaning Now
- Having a low temperature; lacking heat.
- Lacking affection or enthusiasm; unemotional.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
cald
Earliest period
Old English (before 12th century)
Journey
The word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *gel- meaning 'to freeze' or 'cold', which also gave rise to words like 'gelid' and 'glacier'.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*kaldaz
“cold”
- Old English
cald
“cold, chilly”
- Middle English
cold
“cold”
Connections
Word parts
cold
root
low temperature
Related across languages
Old High German
kalt
cold
Old Norse
kaldr
cold
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Related to cold
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.