cold wave
1
4.0
- noun
- /koʊld weɪv/
- UK
:
ola de frío
- Many residents struggled to cope with the harsh conditions brought on by the cold wave.
Examples
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This can lead to extreme weather such as flooding, droughts, cold waves, and heat waves.
Blog text (33) -
The recent cold wave has caused temperatures to plummet across the region.
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Scientists are studying how climate change might influence the frequency of cold waves in the future.
Synonyms
25
1.0
A period when the air is much colder than usual
6
3.2
A short sudden time of very cold weather that is colder than usual
2
4.3
A period of very cold weather that lasts several days
1
3.5
A short period of unusually cold weather
How Cold
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'cold' specifies low temperature and 'wave' denotes a surge or period, so a 'cold wave' naturally means a period of unusually cold weather. This pattern (cf. 'heat wave') is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Cold wave may come from the image of a moving wave of very cold air crossing the land. Because this 'wave' brings cold weather across a large area for several days, the phrase means 'a long period of unusually cold weather'.