# winter

/ˈwɪntɝ/ (US) · /wˈɪntɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/winter
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. the cold season

noun · CEFR A1

the coldest season of the year, coming between autumn and spring.

For teachers: the coldest of the four temperate seasons, occurring between the autumn equinox and the spring equinox.

- We usually get a lot of snow here during the winter.
- The harsh winter of 1947 caused significant disruption to the national infrastructure, leading to widespread fuel shortages and transport failures.

### 2. a period of decay

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a time of old age, sadness, or the end of something.

For teachers: a figurative period of decline, old age, or dormancy preceding an end.

- The old king felt he was in the winter of his life.
- The poet uses the imagery of a barren landscape to represent the metaphorical winter of a dying empire.

### 3. to spend the season

verb · CEFR B2

to stay in a particular place during the cold months.

For teachers: to pass the winter season in a specific location; often used of migratory animals or people traveling to warmer climates.

- Many birds winter in the south where the weather is warmer.
- Wealthy retirees often choose to winter in the Mediterranean to avoid the damp and grey conditions of Northern Europe.

Usage: The verb is often intransitive, frequently followed by 'in' or 'at'.

### 4. to keep animals over the season

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to keep and feed animals during the cold months to protect them.

For teachers: to keep, feed, or manage livestock through the winter months.

- The farmer had to winter the cattle in the large barn.
- The cost of wintering the herd has risen sharply due to the increased price of imported hay and grain.

Usage: Used transitively when referring to the management of livestock.

## Examples

- We usually go skiing in the winter.
- The trees lose their leaves and the ground freezes hard during the long northern winter.
- Poets often use winter as a metaphor for old age or emotional isolation, contrasting its stark silence with the vibrant growth of spring.

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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.