gelid

gel•id   (ˈje-ləd)    adj

Definition 

extremely cold, icy

gelidity noun; gelidness noun;  gelidly adverb

Related

Synonyms: arctic, bitter, bone-chilling, freezing, frigid, frosty, cold, glacial, ice-cold, icy, numbing, polar, shivery, wintry

Related Words: all sharing the PIE root gel "cold":  cold, gelatin, glacial

Examples

• Yet lurking close, she bites his gelid lips, And sticking her black tongue in his dry throat, She breathes dire murmurs, which enforce him bear Her baneful secrets to the spirits of horror. 1844
• A gelid blast is blowing in through the wide-open window. It's always that way in hospitals. They cure your appendicitis and then make you die of pneumonia. 2007

The Storyline

The thought sent a gelid flash down her spine...

Origin

from L. gelidus “icy cold,” from gelum “frost, intense cold” from PIE base *gel-/*gol- "cold"
First Known Use: 1599

Sources: Merriam-Webster, Online Etymology

Why This Word:

Everybody talks about the weather. Incessantly. It's hard to have too many synonyms for hot, cold, humid, dry, etc.

Word-E: A Word-A-Day