kühl

Kühl is a German adjective meaning cool or chilly. It describes temperature that is moderately cold or refreshing, such as cool air, a breeze, or a beverage that is pleasantly cold. It is also used metaphorically to denote a calm, detached, or composed demeanor, for example eine kühle Ausstrahlung or kühl reagieren.

In usage, kühl typically contrasts with warm or kalt. It is stronger than mild but not as extreme as kalt. Common phrases include kühle Luft (cool air), ein kühles Getränk (a cool drink), or die Kühlung eines Raumes (the cooling of a room). The form changes with gender, number, and case, and the attributive form before nouns often appears as kühle Luft, kühles Getränk, or kühler Raum, depending on grammar.

Etymologically, kühl comes from Old High German and belongs to the Germanic family of words related to cold or cool. It is cognate with similar terms in other Germanic languages and is related in sense to the English word cool.

Kühl is also a common German surname, written with the umlaut over the u. In contexts where umlauts are unavailable, it may appear as Kuehl or Kuhl. The surname is found in German-speaking regions and among communities with German heritage.

Overall, kühl describes a specific, moderate level of cold or refreshing coolness and is a versatile term in both literal and figurative German usage.