refrigerator

refrigerator — noun

1. A large metal box with a door, found in homes and shops, that runs on electricit

1.nounA1
Definition

A large metal box with a door, found in homes and shops, that runs on electricity and keeps food and drinks cold so they do not spoil quickly.

Example

Beatrix put the milk in the refrigerator as soon as she came home.

collocation: put [food] in/into the refrigerator

The refrigerator in Andrés's new flat is very tall and has two doors.

describing physical features of a refrigerator

Common collocations
  • stock the refrigerator
  • refrigerator door
  • refrigerator shelf
  • refrigerator light
  • refrigerator compartment
  • refrigerator magnet
  • empty the refrigerator
  • refrigerator temperature
Synonyms
  • fridge

    Informal short form, used almost everywhere in spoken English instead of 'refrigerator'.

  • icebox

    Old-fashioned term; in modern use it usually refers to a cooler box with ice, not an electric appliance.

  • cooler

    Usually a small portable insulated container for drinks, not a full kitchen appliance.

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, the short form 'fridge' (informal, A1) is far more common than 'refrigerator' in both British and American English. 'Refrigerator' itself is used more in writing and formal or instructional contexts.

Common Mistakes

I put the meat in the freezer to keep it cool for dinner tonight.
I put the meat in the refrigerator to keep it cool for dinner tonight.
A 'freezer' keeps things frozen (below 0°C); a 'refrigerator' keeps things cold but not frozen.
Could you fridge the milk?
Could you put the milk in the refrigerator?
'Fridge' is a noun, not a verb. The verb is 'refrigerate' (formal).

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Refrigerator' and 'fridge' refer to the same appliance; 'fridge' is the informal everyday word, while 'refrigerator' sounds more formal and is used on product labels and in manuals. A 'freezer' is a separate appliance (or a compartment inside the refrigerator) that keeps food frozen at much lower temperatures. An 'icebox' is an old-fashioned non-electric box that used blocks of ice for cooling — today the word mostly describes vintage furniture or picnic coolers. A 'cooler' is a portable insulated container for drinks and snacks, often used outdoors. For example: 'Please put the drinks in the cooler for the picnic' — never 'refrigerator' for a picnic.

fridge ↗freezer ↗icebox ↗cooler

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • stock the refrigerator
  • refrigerator + freezer
  • refrigerator door handle

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word comes from the Latin verb 'refrigerare', meaning 'to make cool or cold'. 'Refrigerare' is made of two parts: 're-' (an intensifier) and 'frigus' (cold, frost). English borrowed 'refrigerate' as a verb in the 1500s, and 'refrigerator' appeared in the 1600s, originally describing anything that cooled. By the early 1900s, when electric home coolers became common, the word settled on the kitchen appliance we know today.