# refrigerator

/ɹəˈfɹɪdʒɝˌeɪtɝ/ (US) · /ɹɪfɹˈɪdʒəɹˌeɪtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/refrigerator
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. kitchen appliance

noun · CEFR A2

a large machine in the kitchen used for keeping food and drinks cold.

For teachers: a household or commercial appliance used for keeping food fresh by refrigeration; commonly shortened to 'fridge'.

- Please put the milk back in the refrigerator so it doesn't go bad.
- Modern refrigerators are designed with specific climate zones to maintain the optimal humidity for different types of produce.

Usage: The shortened form 'fridge' is much more common in daily conversation.

Teaching tip: Learners often misspell this by adding a 'd' because of the word 'fridge'. Remind them that the full formal word uses 'g' only.

### 2. medical/industrial cooling

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a machine used in hospitals or labs to keep medicine or chemicals cold.

For teachers: a cooling device used to store non-food items such as blood, pharmaceuticals, or chemicals at a constant low temperature.

- The nurse took the insulin out of the medical refrigerator.
- The laboratory requires a specialised refrigerator to ensure that the biological samples remain stable for the duration of the study.

Usage: Often used with a modifying noun like 'medical' or 'laboratory'.

## Examples

- Please put the milk back in the refrigerator when you are finished.
- The technician arrived to fix the refrigerator after the cooling fan stopped spinning during the night.
- Modern refrigerators often incorporate energy-efficient compressors and digital sensors to maintain precise internal temperatures regardless of external environmental fluctuations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.