Phrase guide

cold snap

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A short and sudden period of cold weather.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • A recent cold snap damaged citrus crops.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cold wave, cold spell

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a spell of cold weather

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cold spell

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: while, piece, spell, patch

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: ona de fred — period of cold weather
  • Chinese Mandarin: 寒流 (hánliú) — period of cold weather
  • Dutch: koudegolf — period of cold weather
  • Finnish: pakkasjakso — period of cold weather
  • Finnish: takatalvi — period of cold weather
  • Finnish: kylmäaalto — period of cold weather
  • French: coup de froid — period of cold weather
  • French: vague de froid — period of cold weather
  • Galician: vaga de frío — period of cold weather
  • German: Kälteeinbruch — period of cold weather
  • German: Kältewelle — period of cold weather
  • Irish: tréimhse fhuar — period of cold weather
  • Polish: fala chłodnego powietrza — period of cold weather
  • Russian: за́морозок (zámorozok) — period of cold weather
  • Northern Sami: buolaš — period of cold weather
  • Spanish: ola de frío — period of cold weather
  • Swedish: köldknäpp — period of cold weather