midwinter

/ˌmɪdˈwɪntə(ɹ)/

Etymology

From Middle English midwinter, mydwinter, mydwynter, from Old English midwinter, from Proto-West Germanic *midiwintru, from Proto-Germanic *midjawintruz (“midwinter”), equivalent to mid- + winter. Cognate with West Frisian midwinter (“midwinter”), Dutch midwinter (“midwinter”), German Mittwinter (“midwinter”), Danish midvinter (“midwinter”), Swedish midvinter (“midwinter”).

adj

  1. Of or occurring in the middle of winter.“Except for the mid-winter period, when the 11.30 a.m. from Paddington and its opposite number will be withdrawn - Torquay now has seven daily expresses to and from Paddington as compared with five down and six up previously.”

noun

  1. The middle of winter.“IN midwinter the shadow that hung over John gathered into storm-cloud.”
  2. The winter solstice; about December 21st or 22nd.