deshielo
/desˈʝelo/
The English word "thaw" can be translated into Spanish as deshielo.
The term deshielo is a noun that refers to the natural process of ice or snow melting as temperatures rise. If you are looking for a verb to describe the action of thawing, use deshelar. For the most common and versatile way to express the concept of thawing in Spanish, use the verb descongelar.
Meaning: (''transitive'') to gradually cause (something frozen, such as earth, ice, or snow) to melt or soften by raising the temperature (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun deshielo is composed of the prefix des-, which indicates the undoing of an action and hielo, meaning "ice".
Which one should you use?
While deshielo refers specifically to the natural melting of ice or snow due to rising temperatures, descongelación is more commonly used when referring to the process of defrosting food or removing ice from a freezer.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/desˈʝelo/
Did you know?
- While deshielo describes the natural environment, using descongelar for a person's personality can imply they are finally 'warming up' or becoming less emotionally cold.
- The root of deshielo comes from the Latin gelāre, which is the same ancestor for the English word 'gelid', meaning extremely cold.
- The word deshielo is often used metaphorically in Spanish politics and diplomacy to describe the easing of tensions between two countries, similar to the English 'thaw'.
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are looking at the snowy mountains.
- JavierMira cuánta nieve hay todavía.Look how much snow there is still.
- SofíaSí, necesitamos el deshielo para el río.Yes, we need the thaw for the river.
- Javier¿Crees que empezará pronto?Do you think it will start soon?
- SofíaSí, el clima está calentando.Yes, the weather is warming up.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry deshielo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deshielo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
