Is there an adjective and/or noun that describes a person who is more sensitive to cold than average?
In French, we call people that are very sensitive to cold "frileux" (for a man) and "frileuse" (for a woman). This word can be used as an adjective or a noun.
For example, if a group of people is standing outside during fall season, all wearing equally warm clothes, and one is shivering, French Quebecers would likely comment with something like "Tu es donc bien frileux!", which means "You are such a cold person." The person could then confirm the hypothesis or reject it, explaining that he or she is sick or very tired, for example.
I don't like saying "I am a cold person." when I mean "Je suis frileuse." because it sounds like I say that I'm unfriendly, unpleasant or not compassionate. Is there a specific word or a better expression to express this idea?
Nesh even has a page of its own on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nesh
I've only ever heard nesh used to describe people and animals as 'intolerant of cold, or wintry weather.'
Wikipedia says that in some dialects anyone who needs extra cosseting of any sort can be described as 'nesh'.
"Cold-blooded", although often used figuratively to mean cruel, "heartles", etc, can also be used literally to refer to a person's tendency to have cold skin, and to become chilled easily.
My wife was like that. I was the warm one. I would try to warm her up with my body heat, but it took a long time. I called her a heat sink.
http://www.google.com/search?q=shill+definition&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en#hl=en&q=heat+sink+science+definition
There is a saying, probably meant to cheer those who might be embarrassed at being cold all the time (especially at having a cold, "clammy" handshake):
- "Cold hands, warm heart."
I have struggled with both of these problems for years, because your adjective describes me to a T, and because I have been frustrated by the lack of a single word for this in English (having been accustomed to describing myself with the Spanish equivalent, friolento/a).
Here's the solution I eventually worked out:
I hope you don't mind if I wear my jacket in the restaurant. I get cold easily.
OR
Let me just get my hat and mittens on before we go out. I'm one of those people who get cold easily.
There's one more possibility, which might help get the idea across, even if it's not a completely accurate medical explanation:
I have poor circulation.
When I use one of these three phrases, the person I'm talking to generally gets it. The other words proposed here so far (except shivery type) wouldn't help in actual communication situations with ordinary people.
(I think shivery type gets the idea across, but it's not the self-image I personally would want to project.)