What does defrosted mean?
"Defrosted" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "defrost," describing something from which frost or ice has been removed, or a frozen item that has been allowed to thaw. It appears most frequently in everyday kitchen contexts — a defrosted chicken breast ready for cooking, defrosted leftovers reheated for dinner — as well as in reference to appliances like freezers that have been cleared of built-up ice, or car windshields cleared of frost on a cold morning. The word carries no strong connotation of formality; it is neutral, practical vocabulary found equally in cookbooks, appliance manuals, and casual conversation. Because food safety depends on proper thawing, "defrosted" often appears in instructions and guidance about refrigerating food while it thaws rather than leaving it at room temperature. Related forms include "defrost," "defrosting," and "defroster." The word combines the prefix "de-" (removal or reversal) with "frost," making its meaning transparent even to first-time readers.
Past tense and past participle of "defrost": to have removed ice or frost from, or to have thawed after freezing.
"I defrosted the freezer yesterday, a chore I had put off for months."
Intransitive uses are common: "The turkey defrosted overnight in the fridge."
Describing something that has been thawed or cleared of frost or ice.
"Use only defrosted peas in this salad so they don't water down the dressing."
That frost-free freezer in your kitchen exists because of defrosting — before automatic defrost cycles arrived in the mid-20th century, people had to empty their freezers and chip away the ice by hand.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of defrosted
"Defrosted" derives from the verb "defrost," formed in English by combining the prefix "de-" (from Latin, indicating removal or reversal) with "frost," an Old English noun of Germanic origin. The compound verb emerged in English usage in the 19th century as household refrigeration technology developed, though its components are far older. It shares its Germanic root with related words across Germanic languages, such as German "Frost" and Dutch "vorst."
Related word forms
How defrosted is actually used
"Defrosted" appears most often in culinary and domestic contexts, particularly regarding meat, seafood, and frozen prepared foods. Food-safety guidance typically recommends defrosting in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature. In automotive contexts it commonly describes cleared windshields via a car's defroster.
Easily confused with defrosted
"Defrosted" is one word meaning thawed or cleared of ice, whereas hyphenated forms are nonstandard and not established spellings.