snow
4 synonyms and 0 antonyms for snow, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Soft white flakes of frozen water that fall from the sky in cold weather.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use snow
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English snaw, snou, snow (“snow; accumulation of snow; snowfall; snowstorm; whiteness”), from Old English snāw (“snow”), from Proto-West Germanic *snaiw (“snow”), from Proto-Germanic *snaiwaz (“snow”), from Proto-Indo-European *snóygʷʰos (“snow”), from *sneygʷʰ- (“to snow”). The verb is...
Full origin of snow →Frequently asked questions
What does “snow” mean?
The word “snow” means soft white flakes of frozen water that fall from the sky in cold weather. In plain terms, frozen precipitation that falls as white flakes, or (informally) to con someone with smooth talk.
How do you pronounce “snow”?
“Snow” is pronounced snoh (/snoʊ̯/ in IPA).
How do you use “snow” in a sentence?
Here is “snow” used in a sentence: “The kids ran outside to play in the fresh snow.”
What part of speech is “snow”?
Depending on how it is used, “snow” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “snow” a common word?
“Snow” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “snow” have?
“Snow” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: soft white flakes of frozen water that fall from the sky in cold weather.
What is the difference between snow and sleet?
Snow is soft white flakes of frozen water that form and fall while frozen. Sleet is a mix of snow and rain, or small ice pellets, formed when snowflakes partly melt in warmer air and then refreeze. Snow settles softly; sleet is wetter, harder, and often stings as it lands.
What is the difference between snow and hail?
Snow forms as delicate ice crystals in cold clouds and drifts down as soft flakes, mainly in winter. Hail forms as hard balls of ice inside strong thunderstorms, usually in warmer months, when updrafts freeze layer upon layer of water. Snow is light and settles; hail is solid, heavy, and can cause damage.
How is snow formed?
Snow forms when water vapour high in a cold cloud freezes directly into tiny ice crystals. These crystals stick together as they collect more moisture, building into flakes heavy enough to fall. If the air stays below freezing all the way down, they reach the ground as snow rather than melting into rain.
What are the types of snow?
People often distinguish light, dry 'powder,' prized by skiers, from heavy, wet snow that packs well for snowballs. Other forms include sludgy slush as it melts, hard-crusted snow, and fine flurries. The type depends on temperature and moisture, which change how the flakes form and how the snow behaves once it lands.