froid

Froid is a French word with several related meanings centered on low temperature and the absence of heat. As an adjective, froid describes objects, environments, or sensations with low thermal energy: une pièce froide, de l'eau froide, un air froid. The feminine form is froide; the masculine plural is froids, and the feminine plural is froides. As a noun, le froid refers to the state or season of low temperature, or to cold weather in general. A cold spell can be described as un froid.

Etymology: froid derives from Old French freid or froid, from Latin frigidus. It is cognate with the English frigid.

Usage and nuance: Froid is used in weather reports, everyday description, and expressions of emotional distance, as in être froid envers quelqu'un (to be cold toward someone). In scientific contexts, froid denotes low temperature and the consequent heat transfer between bodies or substances; in thermodynamics, temperature contrasts drive such exchanges.

Culinary use: À froid indicates that something is cold or served without heating, such as sauces, marinades, or desserts. Des aliments froids are foods eaten cold.

Cultural notes: The term appears in idioms and literature to convey mood—often a sense of chill, restraint, or aloofness. It also appears in place names and surnames, reflecting the term’s broad cultural presence. See also frigid, cold, refrigeration.