What does winterkill mean?
Winterkill names the injury or death of plants resulting from harsh winter conditions. It is especially important in discussions of turfgrass, since severe cold, ice, and associated stress can leave lawns brown, thin, or apparently dead when spring arrives. Winterkill can also affect winter wheat, seedlings, shrubs, and other vegetation. The word may be used as a noun for the condition or damage itself and as a verb for the process that causes it: a crop may winterkill, or an early frost may winterkill young plants. The term is not limited to the visible effects of frost; it covers the broader plant injury associated with damaging winter exposure. Although damaged turf may appear beyond recovery, some cases are temporary, and surviving roots or crowns can produce new growth when conditions improve. Gardeners and turf managers therefore often diagnose winterkill carefully before replacing or reseeding affected areas.
The injury, damage, or death of plants, especially turfgrass and winter crops, caused by harsh winter conditions.
"The groundskeeper assessed the extent of winterkill after the unusually cold winter."
Often used as a mass noun for the condition in general; plurals may refer to separate occurrences.
To kill plants through exposure to winter conditions.
"Several varieties of winter wheat winterkilled during the prolonged freeze."
Used both transitively and intransitively, as in winterkill the seedlings and the seedlings winterkill.
Used for separate occurrences or areas of damage, although the singular mass usage is more common for the condition in general.
"Winterkills were reported in several fields after the severe cold snap."
A winter-killed lawn may look lifeless in spring, but surviving crowns and roots can still send up fresh green shoots.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of winterkill
Winterkill is an English compound formed from the established words winter and kill. Its agricultural sense developed from the literal idea of vegetation being killed by winter, particularly by cold and associated winter stresses. It is therefore closely related in formation to winter, wintry, kill, and killer.
Related word forms
How winterkill is actually used
Chiefly used in agriculture, horticulture, and turf management. The noun is commonly treated as a mass noun when referring to the condition generally, although plurals are occasionally used for distinct occurrences. In informal horticultural contexts, the term may also be used metaphorically for severe winter damage to a garden or landscape.