Frigidities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state or condition of extreme coldness or low temperatures; a description of sexual coldness or lack of warmth in intimate relationships; a characterization of emotional distance or lack of affection in interactions
2. Referring to severe coldness in climate or atmosphere; a term used to denote indifference or lack of emotional warmth; an expression of an absence of passion or desire in personal interactions
3. Indicating an environment marked by intense chill or cold weather; addressing a lack of emotional engagement or warmth in relationships; highlighting feelings of detachment or apathy in social settings

Etymology: "Frigidities" is simply the plural of "frigidity," so its history is that of the singular noun. English took the word from Middle French "frigidité," which in turn borrowed it from Latin "frigiditās," a noun built from "frigidus," meaning cold. The Latin root carries the same sense of coldness that the English word still has, and the Middle English form "frigiditee" shows the word arriving in English in the late medieval period. Over time the word has been used in both a literal sense, for physical coldness, and a figurative one, for coldness of manner or feeling. The plural form, which treats separate instances or kinds of coldness as countable, follows naturally from the noun's abstract meaning.