Dictionary

wind chill en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈwɪndt͡ʃɪl/

Etymology

From wind + chill.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The cooling effect of wind, especially on the human body, which causes the "feels like" temperature to be lower than the thermometer temperature.
   • The thermometer says zero, but with the wind chill it's more like minus five.
   • A steady northwest breeze will keep wind chills in the teens and single digits for the remainder of your weekend. 2021 January 16, Derek Van Dam, “Northeast will be wet and chilly while Southern California should sizzle during holiday weekend”, in CNN:
   • The air temperature that day was -13 degrees with a wind chill at -48, according to the NFL. 2024 January 13, Ashley R. Williams, “NFL moves Pittsburgh at Buffalo playoff game to Monday due to winter storm, Miami at Kansas City is still on for tonight”, in CNN:
2. (broadly, countable, uncountable) The still-air temperature equivalent to a given combination of temperature and wind speed, as far as its cooling effect on exposed flesh is concerned.

Forms

Relateds

heat index · humidex

Synonyms

wind chill factor