noun / adjective
midwinter
mid-WIN-ter/ˌmɪdˈwɪntər/
The middle part of winter.
Deep snow, icicles, and a firmly frozen puddle mark the scene as midwinter.
Etymology
The pieces name the middle or depth of winter. Traditionally this meant the period around the winter solstice, with winter reckoned from the first of November.
In context
For the pagans, midwinter was the time of the dead, the season when fields were barren, and no crops grew.
More examples
- We take a midwinter trip somewhere warm.
- Even in midwinter, she walks to work.
- A brief midwinter thaw melts the snow on our roof.
Forms
midwinter · midwinters
Similar words
- deep winter
- Emphasizes winter at its coldest rather than its calendar midpoint.