frostbite

verb
frost·​bite | \ ˈfrȯs(t)-ˌbīt How to pronounce frostbite (audio) \
frostbit\ ˈfrȯs(t)-​ˌbit How to pronounce frostbit (audio) \; frostbitten\ ˈfrȯs(t)-​ˌbi-​tᵊn How to pronounce frostbitten (audio) \; frostbiting\ ˈfrȯs(t)-​ˌbī-​tiŋ How to pronounce frostbiting (audio) \

Definition of frostbite

 (Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

: to affect or injure by frost or frostbite

frostbite

noun

Definition of frostbite (Entry 2 of 3)

: the superficial or deep freezing of the tissues of some part of the body (such as the feet or hands) also : the damage to tissues caused by freezing — compare frostnip

frostbite

adjective

Definition of frostbite (Entry 3 of 3)

: done in cold weather frostbite sailing also : of or relating to cold-weather sailing frostbite sailors

Examples of frostbite in a Sentence

Noun

He wore gloves to prevent frostbite.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The superstar wide receiver has missed almost all of training camp with a foot injury similar to frostbite after a mishap involving a French cryotherapy chamber. Jerry Mcdonald, The Mercury News, "Antonio Brown returns to Raiders camp in Napa; no helmet in sight," 13 Aug. 2019 But a climbing accident in 1982 led to frostbite on both his legs, which later had to be amputated. Patrick Lucas Austin, Time, "Why TIME's 2019 Tech Optimists Are Upbeat About Silicon Valley's Future," 7 Aug. 2019 Stone Age people might simply lose a lot of fingers to frostbite—but something about this explanation doesn’t quite add up. Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Ancient Humans May Have Practiced Ritual Finger Amputation," 5 Dec. 2018 Ever since the 77-year-old musher lost a toe to frostbite on the Iditarod trail and froze several others, leaving them perpetually white and numb, his feet are quick to callus. Tegan Hanlon, Anchorage Daily News, "The Iditarod gave this musher broken bones and frostbitten toes. At 77, he’s not ready to stop racing.," 5 Mar. 2018 Herr, himself a rock climber who lost both his legs to frostbite as a teen, describes his goal as nothing short of eliminating disability. Matthew Orr, STAT, "Pioneering surgery makes a prosthetic foot feel like the real thing," 30 May 2018 In 2012, Kuriki lost nine fingers to frostbite during an unsuccessful attempt to climb the mountain. Ashley May, USA TODAY, "He lost nine fingers to Everest. On his eighth attempt, Japanese climber lost his life," 21 May 2018 The Arctic temperatures are a constant and deadly enemy: Characters who touch ropes or metal without gloves get the skin ripped off their palms or lose their toes to frostbite. Asher Elbein, The Atlantic, "The Terror Is More Than a Chilling Monster Show," 1 May 2018 One man was transferred into Licton Springs Village last spring after losing two toes and a finger to frostbite. Scott Greenstone, The Seattle Times, "This tiny house village allows drugs. Should it have been put in a high drug-traffic area?," 24 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Still, the movie's DNA is on full display (arm-shattering frostbite! Wired Staff, WIRED, "Snowpiercer, Picard, and More Awesome Trailers Hit Comic-Con," 20 July 2019 Dressing for a night on the town is different than doing so for a trek in the mountains, when a pair of pants can be all that’s between the wearer and frostbite. Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "Scandinavian Man Stages a Non-Fashion Fashion Show in Stockholm," 6 Feb. 2019 Cold-weather conditions like frostnip and frostbite are most likely to affect your fingers, toes, ears, cheeks, and chin, according to the Mayo Clinic. Korin Miller, SELF, "5 Signs of Frostnip (Which Actually Happens Before Frostbite)," 13 Feb. 2019 Working against them: temperatures far below zero, altitude sickness with effects that range from disorientation to death, and the ever-present threat of frostbite. Cleve R. Wootson Jr., The Seattle Times, "Mount Everest is a ‘fecal time bomb.’ Here’s one man’s idea for handling 14 tons of human waste.," 7 Aug. 2018 The interviews in Meru describe the mix of techniques required to shift between hiking and wall-climbing, and the potentially insurmountable obstacles: frostbite, hypoxia, running out of food, and so forth. Noel Murray, The Verge, "For sweaty palms and white knuckles, watch Free Solo in theaters and Meru on Netflix," 28 Sep. 2018 Five of the shutouts came in the early going against the Cubs, including three at Wrigley Field during a weekend series in which frostbite was more likely than a base hit. Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Rather than worry about getting blanked again, Brewers give Matz credit for strong outing," 24 May 2018 In frigid temperatures such as the snow storm hitting the Northeast this week, frostbite can begin to develop in 30 seconds on exposed or underprotected skin. Chris Sims, Indianapolis Star, "NWS: Hazardously low wind chills bite into Indianapolis weather," 16 Jan. 2018 Getting frostbite in temperatures of minus 30 degrees celsius, Elham says mental resilience is what nudged her through. Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "Throwing your skin into the wind: Houston tattoo shop plays with fate and a tattoo dartboard," 3 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Brown has missed almost all of training camp after sustaining frostbite-like burns on his feet in a cryotherapy session well in advance of the start of training camp. Jerry Mcdonald, The Mercury News, "NFL denies Antonio Brown’s grievance, he indicates he’ll play," 12 Aug. 2019 After dragging a client for hours and hours, Sherpas also get tired, and sometimes suffer from frostbite. Mary Anne Potts, National Geographic, "Here’s how one elite Everest guide would improve safety on the mountain," 14 June 2019 Most Read Local Stories Leaving the hospital, Krasnitskiy lumbered into the parking lot gingerly, his feet still partly numb from frostbite. Evan Bush, The Seattle Times, "‘It’s miserable, but we’re alive’: Portland climber recounts dramatic days stranded on Mount Rainier," 6 June 2019 Stowaways expose themselves to getting frostbite and even hypothermia. Nicole Chavez, CNN, "Stowing away on an airplane is a huge risk. But plenty of people have done it," 6 July 2019 Sweat on their feet crystallized, causing crippling frostbite, Garfield wrote. Alex Horton, Washington Post, "Thousands of Japanese fought in a bloody World War II battle for the Aleutians. Only 28 survived.," 24 May 2018 So the first and most fundamental way to reduce traffic jams, frostbite, and death on Everest is to radically reduce the number of permits. Mark Jenkins, Outside Online, "How to Fix Everest," 20 June 2019 The National Weather Service is cautioning Hoosiers to bundle up, as wind chills ranging from -25 to -35 can cause frostbite to exposed skin in just 10 minutes. Holly V. Hays, Indianapolis Star, "Indianapolis Public Schools closed Tuesday due to extreme cold," 1 Jan. 2018 Without proper treatment, frostnip can progress into frostbite, a much more severe cold-weather injury. Korin Miller, SELF, "5 Signs of Frostnip (Which Actually Happens Before Frostbite)," 13 Feb. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'frostbite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of frostbite

Verb

1574, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1798, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1941, in the meaning defined above

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for frostbite

frostbite

noun

English Language Learners Definition of frostbite

: a condition in which part of your body (such as your fingers or toes) freezes or almost freezes

frostbite

noun
frost·​bite | \ ˈfrȯst-ˌbīt How to pronounce frostbite (audio) \

Kids Definition of frostbite

: slight freezing of a part of the body (as the feet or hands) or the damage to body tissues caused by such freezing

frostbite

transitive verb
frost·​bite | \ ˈfrȯs(t)-ˌbīt How to pronounce frostbite (audio) \
frostbit\ -​ˌbit How to pronounce frostbit (audio) \; frostbitten\ -​ˌbit-​ᵊn How to pronounce frostbitten (audio) \; frostbiting\ -​ˌbīt-​iŋ How to pronounce frostbiting (audio) \

Medical Definition of frostbite

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: to affect or injure by frost or frostbite

frostbite

noun

Medical Definition of fros