snow

noun, often attributive \ ˈsnō \

|Updated on: 12 Aug 2018

Definition of snow

1 a : precipitation in the form of small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air at a temperature of less than 32°F (0°C)

b (1) : a descent or shower of snow crystals

(2) : a mass of fallen snow crystals

2 : something resembling snow: such as

a : a dessert made of stiffly beaten whites of eggs, sugar, and fruit pulp

apple snow

b : a usually white crystalline substance that condenses from a fluid phase as snow does

ammonia snow

c slang

(1) : cocaine

(2) : heroin

d : small transient light or dark spots on a television screen

—

snowless

play \ˈsnō-ləs\ adjective

See snow defined for English-language learners

See snow defined for kids

Examples of snow in a Sentence

Snow fell softly on the town.
The mountains were blanketed with snow.
She took a walk in the snow.
We haven't had much snow this year.
She went out to shovel the snow.
Soon the warm spring sun will melt the winter snows.
the snows of the Rocky Mountains
A light snow was falling.

Recent Examples of snow from the Web

At the time, many kids were still playing basketball, hockey, wrestling, swimming or other in-season sports that deservedly command top priority when there’s snow on the ground.

— rob manker, Naperville Sun, "Manker: Lessons learned on ballfield sometimes bring winning and losing into perspective," 5 July 2018
The snow falls in fragments so delicate that a mere breath can destroy them — the way moments fall, the way our life passes by.

— sallie tisdale, Good Housekeeping, "Everything to Expect, Say, and Do When a Loved One Is About to Die," 13 June 2018
With strong north winds, lake-effect snow has fallen in Champaign and southwest Indiana.

— tom skilling, chicagotribune.com, "Ask Tom: How far inland does lake effect extend?," 17 May 2018
Light rain and snow fell across the area mid-week, helping the nearly 700 fire personnel gain ground and strengthen fire lines.

— jason pohl, azcentral, "Tinder Fire: 41 homes damaged or destroyed in 12,000-acre wildfire," 3 May 2018
In an abrupt change from April’s unseasonably cold temperatures — and the day after snow fell in the state — May is starting out warm.

— christine dempsey, courant.com, "Temperatures to Reach Into 80s Wednesday," 1 May 2018
Since then, snow was falling as recently as the second week of April in the region, while a cold rain cascaded down upon (still undeterred) Boston Marathoners April 16.

— gary trust, Billboard, "Hayley Sabella on New Song 'If I Reach' & Being Drawn to 'Music of the Devastating Variety': Premiere," 17 Apr. 2018
Ice cores tell us how much snow fell during a particular year.

— rachel e. gross, Smithsonian, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Earth’s Past Climates," 16 Apr. 2018
The Star also reported that the Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays, suffered a hole in the roof over right field and that snow is now on the field.

— nihal kolur, SI.com, "CN Tower Closed After Chunks of Ice Fall, Blue Jays May Postpone Game," 16 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'snow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of snow

Middle English, from Old English snāw; akin to Old High German snēo snow, Latin niv-, nix, Greek nipha (accusative)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

snow

verb

Definition of snow

snowed; snowing; snows

intransitive verb

: to fall in or as snow

transitive verb

1 : to cause to fall like or as snow

2 a : to cover, shut in, or imprison with or as if with snow

b : to deceive, persuade, or charm glibly

3 : to whiten like snow

See snow defined for English-language learners

Examples of snow in a Sentence

easily snowed by her glib talk
the years had snowed his hair to a silvery white, making it difficult at first to recognize her old high school crush

Recent Examples of snow from the Web

The novel, for instance, opens with a rare DC blizzard — essential for the plot, as Meredith and Niru get snowed in and this isolation leads to his coming out — yet somehow neither teachers nor students know of the impending storm.

— anthony domestico, BostonGlobe.com, "New Iweala disappoints after ‘Beasts of No Nation’," 21 Mar. 2018
Cold air is in limited supply, so snow piles up more readily in locations with a little more latitude and elevation.

— jason samenow, Washington Post, "There is potential for a significant Mid-Atlantic storm Sunday and Monday," 7 Mar. 2018
The Jackets’ ragged start was likely caused in part to getting snowed in for two nights after losing at Syracuse and not getting back home until Saturday.

— indystar sports, Indianapolis Star, "State college basketball: Notre Dame women roll," 7 Jan. 2018
Even though the city was snowed-in and the zoo was closed to the public, Hess strapped on his cross-country skis and traveled across town to shoot this adorable footage.

— Country Living, "Watch What This Polar Bear Cub Does After Huge Snow Storm Shuts Down Oregon Zoo," 12 Jan. 2017
All is lost, could see land if not snowed and blowed.

— ann zaniewski, Detroit Free Press, "8 undiscovered shipwrecks of the Great Lakes," 22 June 2018
In our own solar system, the model shows that ices from the outer solar system snowed down on the Earth in three waves.

— nola taylor redd, Smithsonian, "How Jupiter May Have Gifted Early Earth With Water," 20 June 2018
But the idea that Trump has snowed all American Christians increasingly seems wrong.

— virginia heffernan, WIRED, "ChurchToo and Mike Pence’s Crisis of Faith," 21 June 2018
CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds reports Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said some people in the city should be prepared to be snowed in by this storm.

— CBS News, "Winter storm blasts Midwest, leaves roads treacherous," 9 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of snow

14th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

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snow Synonyms

Phrases

do a number on, lead one down the garden path (also lead one up the garden path), pull one's leg, pull the wool over one's eyes;

Snow

biographical name \ ˈsnō \

Definition of Snow

C(harles) P(ercy) 1905–1980 Baron Snow English novelist and physicist

SNOW Defined for English Language Learners

snow

noun

Definition of snow for English Language Learners

: soft, white pieces of frozen water that fall to the ground from the sky in cold weather
: white dots that appear on the screen of a television when it is receiving a weak signal