Also spelled hoar-frost
noun
Freq #285617
Meanings
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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.
Thesaurus
Etymology
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.