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noun A1 Beginner Common

snow

snoh
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Snow (noun) means Soft white flakes of frozen water that fall from the sky in cold weather. Example: “The kids ran outside to play in the fresh snow.”

noun
1
Soft white flakes of frozen water that fall from the sky in cold weather.
"The kids ran outside to play in the fresh snow."
"Six inches of snow fell overnight, closing the schools."
"Deep snow covered the garden and bent the branches of the trees."
verb
1
Used with "it" to describe snow falling from the sky.
"It snowed heavily all through the night."
"Do you think it will snow before we get home tonight?"
"It rarely snows in our town, so the children were thrilled."
2
To trick or mislead someone with flattery or confusing talk.
"Don't let that salesman snow you into signing anything."
"He tried to snow the customers with long words and endless charm."
"Be careful, because some people will snow you with fast talk to get your money."

How to use snow

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFrozen precipitation that falls as white flakes, or (informally) to con someone with smooth talk.

Common pairings
heavy snow it's snowing snow someone
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Word forms

Plural
snows
Third person singular
snows
Past tense
snowed, snew, snown
Archaic forms
snowest, snowedst, snoweth
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The kids ran outside to play in the fresh _____.

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 derived from Middle English snouen (“to snow; (figurative) to shower”), from snou, snow (noun) (see above) + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs). Displaced Old English snīwan, whence English snew (obsolete). Verb etymology 1, verb sense 2.3.2 (“to convince or hoodwink (someone)”) probably refers to a person being blinded or confused by a snowstorm. The adjective comes from the phrase a snowball's chance in hell, also see snowball clause at Wikipedia. Cognates * Scots snaw (“snow”) * Yola sneew, sneow, snow, snowe (“snow”) * North Frisian Sne, sni, snii, snii'e, snä, snäi (“snow”) * Saterland Frisian Snee (“snow”) * West Frisian snie (“snow”) * Alemannic German schnee, schnei, schnia, schné, schnìj (“snow”) * Bavarian schnea, sghneab (“snow”) * Cimbrian snea, snèa (“snow”) * Dutch snee, sneeuw (“snow”) * German Schnee (“snow”) * Limburgish Schnië, snieë (“snow

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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snowfall snowflakes powder flurries coke C blow bamboozle hoodwink

Related words

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Rhymes for snow

now know
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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.

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etymology from Wiktionary