frostbite

/ˌfrɔstˈbaɪt/

/ˈfrɒstbaɪt/

Other forms: frostbites

People get frostbite when their skin is exposed to extremely cold temperatures for long enough that their tissue is damaged. High altitude hikers in snowy conditions are vulnerable to frostbite.

If your friend scolds you for not wearing your gloves on a bitterly cold day, she's not just giving you a hard time — she might be worried that you'll get frostbite on your fingers. Severe frostbite results in dead tissue and skin, and even the amputation of fingers or toes. Frostbitten came before frostbite, from the idea that your painfully cold fingers have been bitten by frost.

Definitions of frostbite

1. noun

   destruction of tissue by freezing and characterized by tingling, blistering and possibly gangrene
   synonyms: cryopathy

   types:

   immersion foot, trench foot

   resembling frostbite but without freezing; resulting from exposure to cold and wet

   type of:

   harm, hurt, injury, trauma

   any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.