Fridges

/ˈfrɪdʒɪz/ noun

Definition

Plural of fridge; household appliances used for keeping food and drinks cold.

Etymology

Short form of refrigerator, first appearing in the 1920s. From Latin refrigerare meaning 'to cool again,' composed of re- (again) and frigerare (to cool), from frigus (cold). The informal 'fridge' became standard usage by mid-20th century.

Kelly Says

The transformation from 'refrigerator' to 'fridge' shows how language naturally shortens unwieldy words, but interestingly kept the 'dg' sound even though the original had no 'd.' This phonetic addition makes the word easier to pronounce and more distinctive than 'frige' would be.

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