What is the Latin word for winter?

The usual Latin words for “winter” are hiems, brūma, hiemālis; also hībernus, brūmālis, ācer. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“winter” in Latin

hiemswinter; storm, stormy weather, tempest brūmathe winter solstice; winter, winter cold hiemālisof winter; wintry, hiemal hībernuswintry; of or pertaining to winter; suitable for getting through the winter brūmāliswinter solstice; wintry ācersharp, sour, bitter, pungent; keen, sharp, acute, sagacious; energetic, active, vigorous gelidusice-cold, icy, frosty; chilling

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

winter s.

hiems: bruma (poetical): tempus brumale (Cic., in Arat.), tempus hibernum, hiemale (Cic.). Of or belonging to winter, hibernus; hiemalis; brumalis: a severe winter, hiems gravis (Caes.), acris (Plaut.), gelida (Liv.): a very severe winter, hiems maxima, summa, teterrima (Cic.): a rough, dreadful winter, hiems saeva (Liv., Col.), aspera (Sall., Velleius), atrox (Col.): a mild winter, hiems clemens (Plin.), mollis (Col.): an early winter, hiems matura (Caes.), praematura (Tac.): severity, mildness, of a winter, hiemis violentia, saevitia (Col.), clementia (Col.), modestia (Tac.): during the winter, hiemis spatio (Liv.); hiberno tempore (Caes.): in the depth of winter, summa, hieme: at the beginning of winter, hieme inita: winter is near, hiems subest (Caes.), instat (Curt.), appetit (Liv.): winter is almost ended, hiems praecipitat, or exacta, confecta est: the winter season, tempus hibernum (Cic.), hiemale (Nep.); hiemis tempora (Col.): a winter evening, night, vespera, nox, hiberna, hiemalis, brumalis: to stand or live through the winter (of plants), perhiemare; perennare (Col.): a plant that stands the winter, planta, herba, hiemis patiens: to pass the whole winter any where, perennare in alterum ver (Col., 12, 20).

winter v.

hiemare aliquo loco (general term): hibernare aliquo loco (especially of troops, Cic., Liv.).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for winter?: The usual Latin words for “winter” are hiems, brūma, hiemālis; also hībernus, brūmālis, ācer. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.