fridge

fridge — noun

1. a large metal cabinet in a kitchen that runs on electricity and keeps food cold

1.nounA1
Definition

a large metal cabinet in a kitchen that runs on electricity and keeps food cold so it does not go bad quickly.

Example

Hoa put the milk back in the fridge after pouring herself a glass.

put + object + back in the fridge (returning to cold storage)

The leftover curry sat in the fridge for three days before anyone touched it.

Common collocations
  • fridge door
  • fridge shelf
  • fridge magnet
  • fridge temperature
  • fridge space
  • fridge freezer
  • fridge light
Synonyms
  • refrigerator

    the full formal name for the same appliance; used more in writing and official contexts

  • cooler

    a portable insulated container for keeping food and drinks cold, not a kitchen appliance

Antonyms
  • oven

    a kitchen appliance that heats food instead of cooling it

Usage Note

Fridge is the usual word in everyday spoken English; refrigerator is more formal and appears in written or technical contexts.

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a new refrigerator for my apartment.' (in casual conversation).
I need to buy a new fridge for my apartment.
In informal spoken English, fridge is the natural choice; refrigerator can sound stiff in everyday chat.

fridge — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Fridge is the everyday word in British and American English for the kitchen appliance that keeps food cold. Refrigerator is the full formal name — it appears in manuals, contracts, and technical writing, but feels stiff in casual conversation. A freezer is a separate appliance (or a compartment inside the fridge) that keeps food frozen below 0°C, so it overlaps only partially. Cooler is a portable insulated container for picnics or camping, not a fixed kitchen appliance. Icebox is a dated term for the original non-electric ice-cooled cabinets from the early 1900s; today it is mostly used in American historical contexts or as a brand name. Example: 'Can you grab the milk from the fridge?' sounds natural at home, but 'The refrigerator must be kept at 4°C or below' suits a food-safety guide.

fridge ↗refrigerator ↗coolerfreezer ↗icebox ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • fridge door
  • fridge shelf
  • fridge magnet
  • fridge temperature
  • fridge space

Phrases

  • keep in the fridge
  • put in the fridge
  • take out of the fridge
  • store in the fridge
  • pull from the fridge

Prepositions

  • in the fridge
  • out of the fridge
  • from the fridge
  • into the fridge

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Fridge is a clipped form of refrigerator, first recorded in the 1920s. The full word comes from the Latin verb refrigerare, meaning 'to make cold again' — from re- ('again') and frigerare ('to make cool'). The playful spelling fridge (rather than the expected *refrig) became standard in English, probably influenced by the sound of the brand name Frigidaire.