Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To kill (plants, for example) by exposing to extremely cold winter weather.
  • intransitive verb To die from exposure to cold winter weather. Used especially of plants.
  • noun Death, as of plants, resulting from exposure to winter weather.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To kill by cold in winter: as, to winter-kill wheat or clover.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To die as the result of exposure to the cold of winter.
  • transitive verb United States To kill by the cold, or exposure to the inclemency of winter.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The mortality resulting from lethal wintry conditions among a human, animal, and/or vegetal population.
  • verb transitive To kill by the conditions of winter, especially the effect of the cold, freezing.
  • verb intransitive To die from the above effects of winter conditions.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

winter +‎ kill

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Examples

  • Still, heavy winterkill in some regions—estimated at 16% in the key Volga region—and delays to spring plantings mean many observers remain cautious about Russia's output.

    Repeat of 2010 Drought Unlikely for Russia Crops Caroline Henshaw 2011

  • Also, I don't know if it has affected the lakes in Manitoba, but the harsch winter severly rose the number of fish decimated due to winterkill in ND, and it could be a factor where you are headed.

    Nate Matthews here (I'm the online editor). 2009

  • Also, I don't know if it has affected the lakes in Manitoba, but the harsch winter severly rose the number of fish decimated due to winterkill in ND, and it could be a factor where you are headed.

    Nate Matthews here (I'm the online editor). 2009

  • Lower water levels, which reduce under-ice water volumes and increase the likelihood of winterkill, could possibly counteract this effect.

    Effects of climate change on general hydro-ecology in the Arctic 2009

  • In polar semi-deserts, nutrient addition generally had a negative effect on vascular plants, due to enhanced winterkill, but stimulated the growth of mosses [28], an effect opposite to that in low-arctic tundra.

    Effects of changes in climate and UV radiation levels on structure of arctic ecosystems in the short and long term 2009

  • As well, the ponds may be less hospitable to predatory fish because the dams are often located on small streams where winterkill conditions are common, the study suggests. posted by Chad Arment @ 12: 55 AM

    Archive 2007-01-01 2007

  • Amid the forecasts for cold weather, some market observers expressed concern that areas without snow cover could suffer from winterkill.

    Wheat Rises in Week of MGE Floor's Adieu 2008

  • Private agricultural-weather firm Cropcast said some winterkill damage occurred last weekend in western Nebraska and the contingent areas in Kansas and Colorado "another bout of cold air appears likely during the next three mornings in many of the same areas."

    Wheat Rises in Week of MGE Floor's Adieu 2008

  • Since most fish would not overwinter in lakes without oxygen, the variable period of autumn mixing prior to ice cover may be a deciding factor in the winterkill.

    Chemical properties of lakes 2008

  • Three hundred yards behind the house was a woods bordered with trees that were gray with dead leaves and the scales of air vines, as though the treeline had been matted with premature winterkill.

    Dave Robicheaux Ebook Boxed Set James Lee Burke 2002

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