winter

Etymology

From Middle English winter, from Old English winter, from Proto-Germanic *wintruz (“winter”). Cognate with West Frisian winter (“winter”), Dutch winter (“winter”), German Winter (“winter”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian vinter (“winter”), Icelandic vetur (“winter”).

noun

1. Traditionally the fourth of the four seasons, typically regarded as being from December to February in continental regions of the Northern Hemisphere or the months of June, July, and August in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the time when the sun is lowest in the sky, resulting in short days, and the time of year with the lowest atmospheric temperatures for the region.
   Ne take noon hede to brynge togidere þe parties of þe boon þat is to-broken or dislocate, til viij. daies ben goon in þe wyntir, & v. in þe somer; for þanne it schal make quytture, and be sikir from swellynge; & þanne brynge togidere þe brynkis eiþer þe disiuncture after þe techynge þat schal be seid in þe chapitle of algebra. a1420, The British Museum Additional MS, 12,056, “Wounds complicated by the Dislocation of a Bone”, in Robert von Fleischhacker, editor, Lanfranc's "Science of cirurgie.", London: K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co, translation of original by Lanfranc of Milan, published 1894, page 63
   And after summer evermore succeeds Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold. 1592, Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 1
   There shall he learn, ere sixteen winters old, That … 1785, William Cowper, “Tirocinium: or, A Review of Schools." in The Poems of William Cowper, Vol. II., The Press of C. Whittingham (1822), page 174
   […] a woman, tall, and strong of aspect, of some thirty winters by seeming, … 1897, William Morris, The Water of the Wondrous Isles, volume I, Longmans, Green and Co., published 1914, page 2
2. (figurative, poetic) The period of decay, old age, death, or the like.
   Life's autumn past, I stand on winter's verge. 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion
   Buterin seemed to sense that the market was out of balance, and he made a smart decision that helped Ethereum weather the crypto winter and continue to build while the market was down. 2023, Ben Armstrong, Catching Up to Crypto, page 78
3. (countable, fashion) Someone with dark skin, eyes and hair, seen as best suited to certain colors of clothing.
4. (obsolete) An appliance to be fixed on the front of a grate, to keep a kettle warm, etc.
5. (India, archaic) The rainy season.
   Note that the Citie of Goa is the principall place of all the Oriental India, and the winter thus beginneth the 15 of May, with very great raine. 1584, Barret, in Hakl. ii. 413
   The Winter heere beginneth about the first of Iune and dureth till the twentieth of September, but not with continuall raines as at Goa, but for some sixe or seuen dayes every change and full, with much wind, thunder and raine. 1610, Finch, in Purchas, i. 423
   In Winter (when they rarely stir) they have a Mumjama, or Wax Cloth to throw over it […] 1678, Fryer, 410
   The mere breadth of these mountains divides summer from winter, that is to say, the season of fine weather from the rainy […] all that is meant by winter in India is the time of the year when the clouds […] are driven violently by the winds against the mountains, […] 1770,—Raynal, tr. 1777, i. 34

verb

1. (intransitive) To spend the winter (in a particular place).
   When they retired, they hoped to winter in Florida.
   Those who seek to invade another country anywhere across the great Eurasian steppes are condemned eventually to winter in it. 27 December 2022, “Ukraine war: Five ways conflict could go in 2023”, in BBC News
2. (transitive) To store something (for instance animals) somewhere over winter to protect it from cold.

adj

1. the coldest season of the year