algid-

(Latin: cold, chilly; freeze)

algid (AL jid) (adjective), more algid, most algid
1. Cold; severely chilled or chilling: Mona was thinking that it was the most algid day she had experienced this winter.

Sometimes people may have a more algid attitude towards others who are insulting or misbehaving in a social situation; as expressed by the first and third cartoons shown below!

2. Characterized by feeling less than warm or frigid; however, having sweaty skin and utter exhaustion; a reference to certain severe conditions or stages of a disease: Algid malaria is characterized by prostration, cold and clammy skin; as well as, low blood pressure.

3. Etymology: from Latin algere, "to feel cold, to be cold".

There is another word entry, gelid, which is also a Latin-derived adjective that describes ice and arctic temperatures.

Algid is not related to the Greek term algesi-, etc., "pain, sense of pain; painful; hurting".

Cold, chilly.
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Cold or freezing weather.
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Cold or freezing weather.
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Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
for a list of additional Mickey Bach illustrations.

algid malaria, algid pernicious fever
Falciparum malaria with gastrointestinal manifestations predominating, characterized by cold, clammy skin, and hypotension.

Falciparum malaria is characterized by paroxysms of fever occurring at irregular intervals and often by the localization of the organism in a specific organ, causing capillary blockage in the brain, lungs, intestinal mucosa, spleen, and kidneys.

algid stage
A condition occurring in cholera, falciparum malaria, and other diseases marked by extensive intestinal discharges; characterized by subnormal temperature, feeble flickering pulse, hypotension, and various neurologic symptoms.
algidism
A spontaneous sensation of extreme cold.
algidity
1. A description of an episode during a severe fever when the patient's body temperature suddenly drops to an unusually low level.
2. Coldness, chilliness; especially, that which is caused by the collapse of vital bodily functions.
algidness
The state of being algid; chillness; algidity.
algifacient, algefacient (s) (noun); algifacients, algefacients (pl)
1. An agent that has a cooling action.
2. A refrigerant.
algific
Causing cold, chilling.
algifical
A reference to that which makes anyone chilly or cold.

Cross references of word families that are related directly or indirectly to "winter, freezing, frost, and/or cold": cheimo- (winter, cold); crymo-, krymo- (cold, chill, frost); cryo-, kryo-; (cold, freezing); frigo-, frig- (cold, frost); gel-, gelati- (freeze, frost, congeal); hiber- (winter, wintry); pago- (cold, freezing); psychro- (cold); rhigo- (cold, frost; shiver).