# winter

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈwɪntə/ · frequency rank #1,380

## Definitions
1. Traditionally the fourth of the four seasons, typically regarded as spanning either the period between the winter solstice to the spring equinox, or the months of December, January, and February in temperate and polar regions of the Northern Hemisphere and the months of June, July, and August in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the time when the sun is lowest in the sky, resulting in short days, and the time of year with the lowest atmospheric temperatures for the region.
2. The period of decay, old age, death, or the like.
3. Someone with dark skin, eyes and hair, seen as best suited to certain colors of clothing.
4. An appliance to be fixed on the front of a grate, to keep a kettle warm, etc.
5. The rainy season.

## Etymology
From Middle English winter, from Old English winter, from Proto-West Germanic *wintru, from Proto-Germanic *wintruz (“winter”). Cognate with West Frisian winter (“winter”), Dutch winter (“winter”), German Winter (“winter”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian vinter (“winter”), Icelandic vetur (“winter”).

## Easily confused with
- **wiser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-wiser)
- **wiper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-wiper)
- **wonder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-wonder)
- **writer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-writer)
- **wither** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-wither)
- **witted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-witted)
- **Winton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-winton)
- **wintry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-wintry)
- **winters** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winter-vs-winters)
- **wine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wine-vs-winter)
- **Water** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/water-vs-winter)
- **wider** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wider-vs-winter)
- **wines** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wines-vs-winter)
- **wince** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wince-vs-winter)
- **wanted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wanted-vs-winter)
- **winner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winner-vs-winter)
- **Walter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/walter-vs-winter)
- **wander** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wander-vs-winter)
- **waiter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/waiter-vs-winter)
- **winger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winger-vs-winter)

## Common misspellings (9)
`iwnter`, `winetr`, `winnter`, `winterr`, `wintre`, `wintter`, `witner`, `wniter`, `wwinter`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/winter