Chilly

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈt͡ʃɪli/

Definitions

1. Feeling uncomfortably cold, often causing shivering or the need for warmth ; showing a distant or unwelcoming attitude towards others
2. Having a noticeably low temperature that causes discomfort or shivering ; expressing a lack of warmth or friendliness in behavior or attitude
3. Marking an atmosphere or environment that feels cool enough to require extra clothing ; demonstrating coldness or reserve in social interaction

Etymology: "Chilly" is a plain formation: the noun "chill" with the adjective-forming suffix "-y", meaning "having the quality of chill." The base word "chill" traces back to Old English "ciele," meaning cold, and the same root produced the Swedish "kylig" and Norwegian "kjølig," both meaning chilly, a sign that the idea of coolness has been expressed this way across the Germanic languages for centuries. The adjective has a curious neighbour. The word "chili," the pepper, is also listed as a related entry, but the two are unrelated in origin: the pepper comes from a Nahuatl word, so the resemblance is coincidence rather than kinship. The "chilly" in English owes nothing to the spicy pepper and everything to a simple sense of cold.

Synonyms: cold, cool, frigid, refreshing, frosty

Antonyms: warm, hot, balmy, tropical, mild