Defrosting: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly used when referring to removing ice from the interior of a freezer, refrigerator, or frozen food. Most appropriate in household and kitchen contexts.

• I need to do some defrosting before I can clean the freezer.
• The chicken is defrosting; it should be ready to cook in an hour.

Appropriate for describing the process of ice, snow, or frozen items turning back into water or a liquid state, generally used in cooking or natural contexts.

• Spring is coming and the ice on the lake is thawing.
• Make sure the steaks are thawing before you start cooking.

Typically used in the context of removing ice from roadways, car windows, and airplane wings. Often associated with maintenance and safety.

• The road crews are out deicing the highways.
• Before taking off, the airplane went through a deicing process.