wintry
gb/wˈɪntɹi/ us/wˈɪntɹi/
B2
English
~ 10000
télies, hűvös, fagyos
B2
1
télies
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] is wintry; wintry [weather/landscape/conditions]
A sharp, wintry wind blew across the empty field.
Csípős, télies szél fújt végig az üres mezőn.
The town woke up to wintry conditions, with ice on the roads and snow on the roofs.
A város télies körülményekre ébredt: jég borította az utakat, és hó fedte a tetőket.
We took a short walk through the wintry landscape, the trees bare and the ground frosted white.
Despite the wintry sunshine, the air stayed bitterly cold all day.
Forecasters warned of more wintry weather moving in from the north tonight.
Learner examples
The air is wintry and very cold today.
Ma télies az idő, és nagyon hideg van.
We stayed inside because the weather was wintry and snowy.
Bent maradtunk, mert télies, havas idő volt.
They walked through the wintry park in heavy coats.
Tomorrow the city will have wintry conditions with ice and snow.
The wintry sky was gray and dark.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes spell the word as *wintery*, but the standard spelling is *wintry*. They may also use *wintry* when they only mean *a little cold*; in English, *wintry* usually suggests clearly winter-like weather, often with frost, snow, or a harsh feeling, not just cool temperatures.
Meaning
cold, like winter weather
Collocations
wintry weather
|wintry conditions
|wintry landscape
|wintry morning
|wintry sunshine
Synonyms
cold (More general; does not specifically suggest winter but simply low temperature.)
|
icy (Stronger and more physical; emphasizes actual ice or extreme cold, not just a winter-like feeling.)
|
bleak (Emphasizes the empty, sad, or unpleasant feeling of the scene, not just the temperature.)
Antonyms
summery (Suggests warm, bright conditions typical of summer, the seasonal opposite of wintry.)
|
balmy (Describes pleasantly warm, mild weather, the opposite of cold, harsh wintry conditions.)
Themes
weather
|nature
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Cold like winter, often with snow, ice, or gray skies.
Cold and harsh in a way that is typical of winter, often involving low temperatures, frost, or snow.
C1
2
Usage pattern:
a wintry [smile/reception/response]
She gave him a wintry smile that made it clear she was still upset.
Hűvös mosolyt küldött felé, amiből egyértelmű volt, hogy még mindig neheztel rá.
The proposal received a wintry reception from the board members.
Az igazgatóság tagjai hűvösen fogadták a javaslatot.
His wintry response showed that he had no interest in continuing the conversation.
Guests were met with a wintry welcome and quickly left the party.
There was a wintry look in his eyes when he spoke to the reporters.
Learner examples
Her wintry smile told me she was not happy.
A hűvös mosolyából láttam, hogy nem örül.
The plan got a wintry response from the team.
A csapat hűvösen fogadta a tervet.
He gave a wintry look and then walked away.
They gave us a wintry welcome and did not talk much.
His voice was wintry and not friendly at all.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this figurative sense with the literal weather meaning and try to use it with words like *temperature* or *snow*. In emotional contexts, *wintry* usually comes before words like *smile*, *welcome*, *reception*, or *response*, and it describes an unfriendly or distant attitude, not actual weather.
Meaning
emotionally cold or unfriendly
Collocations
wintry smile
|wintry reception
|wintry response
|wintry welcome
|wintry look
Synonyms
cold (Very common and general; can describe people or behavior that shows little warmth or kindness.)
|
frosty (Suggests clear disapproval or hostility, not just distance; often a bit stronger in tone than *wintry*.)
|
distant (Focuses more on emotional distance and lack of closeness rather than an obviously unfriendly feeling.)
Antonyms
warm (Describes friendly, kind behavior, the opposite of a wintry manner or expression.)
|
welcoming (Emphasizes making others feel invited and comfortable, which contrasts with a wintry reception.)
Themes
emotions
|social
|communication
|relationships
Definition
Not warm or friendly, especially in the way someone looks, speaks, or answers.
Cold, distant, or lacking in friendliness, especially when describing a person’s expression, tone, or reaction.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wintry
IPA
GB/wˈɪntɹi/
US/wˈɪntɹi/
Syllables & stress
wintry (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (wintry)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: wintry
- Comparative: wintrier
- Superlative: wintriest
Word family
Forms
wintrier
adjective
wintriest
adjective
Core family
winter
noun A1
Related words
wintertime
noun
midwinter
noun
Negative and opposite forms
summery
adjective
Advanced or less common
winterize
verb
overwinter
verb
Expressions
wintry mix
1/wˈɪntɹi mˈɪks/
fixed phrase
mixture of snow and rain
Weather with a mix of snow, rain, and sometimes ice falling at the same time or close together.
Examples
- The forecast is calling for a wintry mix tomorrow evening, so driving could be dangerous.
- Schools closed early because a wintry mix was expected to hit the city by nightfall.
- We might see a wintry mix of sleet and wet snow across higher ground this weekend.