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noun

snowflake

SNOH-flayk

Snowflake (noun) means a single small crystal of falling snow, usually with six-sided symmetry. Example: “Under the microscope, no two snowflakes looked exactly alike.”

noun
1
A single small crystal of falling snow, usually with six-sided symmetry.
"Under the microscope, no two snowflakes looked exactly alike."
2
Informal, often disapproving: someone seen as overly sensitive to criticism or offense.
"He dismissed the criticism by calling his critics snowflakes."

How to use snowflake

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLiterally a tiny snow crystal; as slang, a dismissive label for someone considered easily offended.

When to use it

The slang sense is informal and often used as an insult in political or online arguments — it can come across as dismissive or inflammatory.

Common pairings
delicate snowflake unique snowflake

Word forms

snowflaked past tense, snowflakes plural, snowflakes singular

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Under the microscope, no two _____ looked exactly alike.

Etymology

From snow + flake. Compare Saterland Frisian Sneeflokke (“snowflake”), Dutch sneeuwvlok, Luxembourgish Schnéiflack, German Schneeflocke.

flake snowbird snow bunting

Related words

Rhymes for snowflake

See all rhymes for snowflake →

Frequently asked questions

What does “snowflake” mean?

The word “snowflake” means a single small crystal of falling snow, usually with six-sided symmetry. In plain terms, literally a tiny snow crystal; as slang, a dismissive label for someone considered easily offended.

How do you pronounce “snowflake”?

“Snowflake” is pronounced SNOH-flayk (/ˈsnoʊ.fleɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “snowflake” in a sentence?

Here is “snowflake” used in a sentence: “Under the microscope, no two snowflakes looked exactly alike.”

What part of speech is “snowflake”?

“Snowflake” is a noun.

How many meanings does “snowflake” have?

“Snowflake” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a single small crystal of falling snow, usually with six-sided symmetry.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from Wiktionary