Someone who is always cold, perpetually chilly, or particularly sensitive to cold temperatures. A person whose internal thermostat seems permanently set to 'brr.'
From Spanish 'frío' (cold) + the suffix '-lento' (full of, prone to), literally meaning 'full of coldness.' This adjective captures a constitutional tendency rather than just a temporary state. It's related to Latin 'frigidus' (cold) but evolved specifically in Spanish to describe this particular human trait.
Every friend group has one! You know that person who wears sweaters in summer and always asks 'Is anyone else cold?' Well, Spanish speakers don't have to describe them — they just say 'Ah, María es muy friolenta' and everyone nods knowingly. It's such a perfect word for a universal human type. I love how Spanish turned being perpetually chilly into a personality trait with its own adjective!
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