Definitions
01temperature
A1 · Beginner
adj. slightly cold in a way that is usually pleasant.
adj. of a moderately low temperature; refreshing rather than uncomfortably cold.
“The water in the swimming pool was nice and cool on a hot day.”
“The evening air turned cool as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, prompting the hikers to reach for their jackets.”
Synonyms
02fashionable or impressive
A2 · Elementary Informal
adj. fashionable, attractive, or impressive in a modern way.
adj. denoting something that is fashionable, trendy, or socially impressive. Informal in register.
“That is a really cool jacket; where did you buy it?”
“The startup's new office has a very cool aesthetic, featuring open spaces and modern art installations.”
03calm
B1 · Intermediate
adj. staying calm and not getting angry or upset.
adj. maintaining composure and emotional control, especially under pressure.
“He stayed cool during the exam even though the questions were hard.”
“The pilot remained remarkably cool throughout the emergency landing, giving clear instructions to the cabin crew.”
04acceptable
B1 · Intermediate Informal
adj. used to say that something is okay or that you agree with a plan.
adj. indicating agreement, approval, or that a situation is acceptable. Primarily informal.
“If you want to meet at six instead of five, that is cool with me.”
“The manager was cool with the team taking a longer lunch break after they finished the project ahead of schedule.”
Synonyms
05to lower temperature
A2 · Elementary
v. to become less hot, or to make something less hot.
v. to reduce in temperature; to lose or cause to lose heat.
“Let the soup cool for a few minutes before you eat it.”
“The engineers designed a sophisticated system to cool the server room and prevent the hardware from overheating.”
Synonyms
06to relax
B2 · Upper Intermediate Slang · Informal
v. to spend time relaxing or doing nothing special.
v. to spend time relaxing or socialising without a specific purpose. Slang usage.
“We were just cooling at my house and listening to music.”
“After a stressful week of finals, the students spent the entire Saturday just cooling by the lake.”
Antonyms
07the cool air
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a place or time that is pleasantly cold.
n. a state or place of moderate coldness or refreshing temperature.
“It was a relief to step out of the sun and into the cool of the church.”
“They sat on the porch enjoying the cool of the evening after a particularly humid summer afternoon.”
Antonyms
08composure
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the ability to stay calm and controlled.
n. the quality of being calm and in control of one's emotions.
“The player lost his cool and started shouting at the referee.”
“Maintaining one's cool during a high-stakes negotiation is often the difference between success and failure.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“The English word ‘cool’ is used around the world, but what exactly is a cool product in marketing terms?” “Rihanna exudes ‘delightfully don’t-care’ coolness, according to an expert on cool.” Etymology
From Middle English cool, from Old English cōl (“cool, cold, tranquil, calm”), from Proto-West Germanic kōl(ī), from Proto-Germanic kōlaz, kōluz (“cool”), from kalaną (“to be cold, to freeze”), Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to be cold, to freeze”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian kuul, kölj (“cold”), Saterland Frisian köil (“cool”), West Frisian koel (“cool”), Cimbrian khuul (“chilly, cool”), Dutch koel (“cool”), German kühl (“cool”), Low German köhl (“cool”), Luxembourgish kill (“cool”), Vilamovian kił (“cool”); also Latin gelū, gelum, gelus (“frost; chill, cold”), Belarusian хо́лад (xólad, “cold”), Bulgarian хлад (hlad, “chill, coolness”), Czech chlad (“cold”), Macedonian лад (lad, “shade; coolness”), Polish chłód (“cold”), Russian and Ukrainian хо́лод (xólod, “cold”), Serbo-Croatian хла̑д, hlȃd (“shade”), Sanskrit जड (jaḍa, “cold; stiff”), जल (jala, “water”). Related to cold.
From Middle English colen, from Old English cōlian (“to cool, grow cold, be cold”), from Proto-West Germanic kōlēn (“to become cold”), from Proto-Indo-European gel- (“to freeze”). Cognate with Dutch koelen (“to cool”), German kühlen (“to cool”), Swedish kyla (“to cool, refrigerate”). Also partially from Middle English kelen, from Old English cēlan (“to cool, be cold, become cold”), from Proto-West Germanic kōlijan, from Proto-Germanic kōlijaną (“to cool”), altered to resemble the adjective cool. See keel.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
01. cool cat
02. cool head
03. cool one's heels
04. cool one's jets
05. ice cool
06. keep a cool head
07. keep one's cool
08. lose one's cool
09. play it cool
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/cool
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0