Frigorific
/ˌfrɪɡəˈrɪfɪk/noun
Causing or producing cold.
Did you know?The word combines Latin frīgus, “cold,” with facere, “to make,” the same verb-family that ultimately gave English words such as “fact” and “fashion.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeh₁-
“To put, place, or do; the ancient root behind Latin facere, “to make.””
Classical Latin
Latin
frīgus / frīgor
“Cold; chill; the state or sensation of coldness.”
Classical Latin
Latin
frīgōrificus
“Making cold or producing chill, formed from frīgus, “cold,” and facere, “to make.””
Medieval Latin
Latin
frigorificus
“Cold-producing; used in learned medical and natural-philosophical contexts.”
17th Century
English
frigorific
“Producing cold; entering English as a learned scientific adjective.”
Modern English
English
frigorific
“Causing or generating cold, especially in technical or literary usage.”