winter
winter
Pronunciation
IPA phonetic spelling: /ˈwɪntər/
win- /wɪn/
/w/ - voiced labial-velar approximant
/ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel
/n/ - voiced alveolar nasal
-ter /tər/
/t/ - voiceless alveolar plosive
/ər/ - r-colored vowel (schwa + r)
Word Form Variations
Word Form Variations:
Singular Noun: winter
Plural Noun: winters
Verb (base form): winter
Verb (third person singular present): winters
Verb (present participle): wintering
Verb (past tense/past participle): wintered
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The coldest season of the year, occurring between autumn and spring, characterized in many regions by lower temperatures, snowfall, and shorter daylight hours.
Synonyms: cold season, frost, chill
Antonyms: summer, warm season, heat
Definition 2: A period of decline, hardship, or inactivity, often metaphorically associated with the characteristics of the cold season.
Synonyms: decline, slump, trough, nadir
Antonyms: peak, prime, flourishing, zenith
Verb
Definition 1: To spend the winter season in a particular place.
Example: "Many birds winter in warmer climates."
Synonyms: hibernate, overwinter, reside (for winter)
Antonyms: summer (as a verb, to spend the summer), migrate (away from winter)
Definition 2: To keep or feed (livestock) during the winter.
Example: "The farmer wintered his cattle in the lower pastures."
Synonyms: shelter, house, board (for winter)
Antonyms: pasture (in warmer seasons), turn out
Examples of Use
Books: "The nights were long and dark, and the wind howled like a banshee, making it a particularly harsh winter for the villagers." (From a fantasy novel)
Newspapers: "Forecasters predict a mild winter for the Northeast, with above-average temperatures expected through January." ( The New York Times, November 2024)
Online Publications: "How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter: A Comprehensive Guide to Protecting Your Plants from Frost" ( Gardeners' World Magazine online, October 2024)
Television: "In Westeros, one of the most iconic phrases is 'Winter is coming,' a constant reminder of impending challenges." (Game of Thrones series)
Film: "The protagonist embarks on a perilous journey across the snow-covered mountains, hoping to reach safety before the depths of winter set in." (From a survival film)
Music: "I've been through a long, cold winter, but spring is finally here." (Lyrics from a popular song)
Video Games: "Players must gather resources and build shelters to survive the brutal winter conditions in the open-world survival game." (Description of a video game)
General Public Discourse: "Are you ready for winter? I need to get my tires changed soon." (Casual conversation)
Podcast: "Our latest episode explores the economic challenges faced by tourism businesses during the off-season, particularly in regions that rely heavily on summer visitors and see a significant drop-off in winter." (From a business podcast, December 2024)
Social Media: "Cozy nights by the fire are the best part of winter! ☕ #WinterVibes #Cozy" (Instagram post, January 2025)
10 Quotes Using Winter
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant." (Anne Bradstreet)
"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." (John Steinbeck)
"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow." (Proverb)
"One kind word can warm three winter months." (Japanese Proverb)
"A man has a choice to make in the winter, whether to be cold and miserable or warm and cozy." (Irish Proverb)
"We winter in Florida." (Ernest Hemingway)
"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, 'Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.'" (Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass)
"When you're out in the winter with your family, you don't even notice the cold." (Chris Christie)
"The ground hog has his day of glory on the second of February, an occasion that makes the average citizen conscious of the fact that there is a winter at all." (Carl Sandburg)
"And winter, the appointed time for the return of the salmon, had not yet begun." (Roderick Haig-Brown)
Etymology
The word "winter" has a long history, going back thousands of years. It comes from an ancient language called Proto-Germanic, which is the ancestor of English, German, Dutch, and other similar languages. The Proto-Germanic word was *wintruz.
The exact original meaning of *wintruz isn't perfectly clear, but there are a couple of strong ideas. One popular theory is that it's linked to an even older root word, *wed-, which means "water" or "wet." This makes sense because, in many parts of the world where these languages developed, winter is a very wet and rainy season. So, "winter" could have originally meant something like "the wet season."
Another idea is that it's connected to a word meaning "white," referring to snow, or to words related to "wind," meaning "the windy season." However, the "wet season" idea is often considered the most likely.
The word "winter" as we know it in English has been around for a very long time. Its first known use in English dates back to the Old English period (before 1150 AD). At that time, it already meant "the fourth and coldest season of the year." Interestingly, in Old English and early Scandinavian languages, "winter" was also used to mean "year," with people counting their age or the passage of time by the number of winters that had passed.
Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Eagle
Eagles are more often used as metaphors for strength, vision, or freedom. However, here are some phrases and idioms that use "eagle" or similar concepts:
"Eagle eyes": This describes someone with very sharp eyesight, like an eagle.
"Soar like an eagle": This idiom encourages someone to reach great heights, achieve ambitious goals, or experience freedom and independence.
"Have an eagle's eye for detail": Similar to "eagle eyes," this emphasizes someone's keen observation and ability to spot small things.
"Rise like an eagle": This idiom suggests overcoming challenges and achieving success, much like an eagle ascending into the sky.
Here's why there might not be many idioms directly using "eagle":
Eagles are symbols: Eagles are powerful symbols, so their meaning is often conveyed through metaphors and comparisons rather than direct idioms.
Less common in everyday speech: Compared to animals like dogs or cats, eagles are less common in everyday life, leading to fewer idioms directly related to them.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of winter from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
