2 syllables: cold, est. Stress on cold.
KOHL-duhst
/ˈkoʊldəst/
coldest is pronounced KOHL-duhst (/ˈkoʊldəst/). It has two syllables (cold-est), with the stress on "cold". Coldest is the superlative form of cold, referring to the highest degree of low temperature or the most unfriendly or unwelcoming aspect in figurative uses. It denotes extremity in temperature or aloofness, depending on context. The term combines the adjective cold with the superlative suffix -est, signaling a peak degree or intensity.
Coldest is the superlative form of cold, referring to the highest degree of low temperature or the most unfriendly or unwelcoming aspect in figurative uses. It denotes extremity in temperature or aloofness, depending on context. The term combines the adjective cold with the superlative suffix -est, signaling a peak degree or intensity.
"Today is the coldest day this winter, with wind chills dipping below zero."
"She wore two jackets; it was the coldest dress she could bear wearing outside."
"The coffee tasted surprisingly coldest after the long wait in the fridge."
Say /ˈkoʊldɪst/. Start with the long O diphthong as in 'coat', then the L sound, then a light D followed by a short I as in 'sit', ending with a crisp T. The stress is on the first syllable: COAL-dist.
Mistakes: pronouncing the first syllable with a short O instead of the long /oʊ/; dropping the final /t/ or turning it into a flap; and misplacing the /d/ so it blends with /t/ causing 'col-test' or 'cold-ist'. Correction: emphasize /koʊl/ with a full diphthong, clearly release /d/ before /ɪ/, and then end with /st/ for a crisp finish.
In General American, it remains rhotic with an /r/-less /kol/ plus /dɪst/; UK BP may show a slightly shorter /əʊ/ in some speakers, producing /ˈkəʊldɪst/ with subtle vowel shortening; Australian tends toward a broader /ɒ/ or /əʊ/ depending on speaker, with a lighter rhoticity and a less pronounced /d/ release. Overall, the first syllable remains a prominent diphthong, but vowel quality reflects accent-specific shifts.
Because it pairs a strong diphthong /oʊ/ with an immediately following /ld/ cluster and a short /ɪ/ before /st/. The transition from /lə/ to /ld/ can create a subdued L or a quick tongue shift, making the sequence /oʊl-dɪst/ hard to keep distinct in fluent speech. Also rapid speech can blur the /d/ and /t/; practice with stretches of /koʊldɪst/ to stabilize the release.
A practical tip is to anchor the first syllable with a deliberate mouth shape: lips rounded for /oʊ/, then jaw lowers slightly for /l/, with the tongue-tip contacting the alveolar ridge for /d/ before a quick /ɪ/ and final /st/. Saying it slowly as /koʊl-dɪst/ helps you feel the boundary between /l/ and /d/ and prevents the lapse into /koʊldɪst/ or /koʊldɪs/.
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US: clear /oʊ/ diphthong, rhotic /ɹ/ absent in this word; UK: /ˈkəʊldɪst/ with a slightly shorter /əʊ/; AU: tendency toward centralized /ɔɪ/ rounding variations but still /ˈkəʊldɪst/. Vowel length and quality influence perceived warmth; practice with IPA references: /ˈkoʊldɪst/ (US), /ˈkəʊldɪst/ (UK), /ˈkəʊldɪst/ (AU). Emphasize crisp /d/ release and final /st/ cluster across accents.
Coldest derives from the adjective cold, which traces to the Old English word cald, from Proto-Germanic kalmaz or kalduz, tied to notions of low temperature and lack of warmth. The superlative suffix -est attaches to adjectives in English to denote the extreme degree, a development recorded in Middle English and earlier Germanic languages where suffixes signaled ranking within a set. The modern form cold relates to coldness and lack of heat, with cognates across Germanic languages (German kalt, Dutch koud) revealing a shared Proto-Indo-European root *kal-, meaning 'unheated' or 'cold'. The integration of -est to create the superlative intensified the sense of maximum coldness or extremity in figurative usages, such as attitude or tone. First known attestations of superlatives in English appear in Late Old English and Early Middle English texts, evolving through the influence of Old Norse and French on English morphology. Over centuries, coldest has become a standard comparative of an adjective with a widely understood scale, used both literally (temperature) and metaphorically (emotional distance, severity).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "coldest" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "coldest" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "coldest"
-est sounds
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