hoarfrost

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a white deposit of feathery ice crystals formed when water vapor freezes directly onto a cold outdoor surface

   Hoarfrost covered every branch after the clear, windless night.

A compound of hoar, 'gray or white with age,' and frost. Hoar descends from Old English har, 'gray-haired or old,' and describes the silvery-white appearance of the ice crystals. Hoar-frost is a historical hyphenated spelling.

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External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
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