snowflake

noun

snow·​flake ˈsnō-ˌflāk 

1

: a flake or crystal of snow

2

: any of two genera (Leucojum or Acis) of Old World bulbous plants of the amaryllis family

especially : one (L. vernum) resembling the snowdrop

3

informal + usually disparaging

a

: someone regarded or treated as unique or special

… proclaim that parents need a way for their precious snowflakes to escape failing schools.

—Harold Cook

Baseball, like no other sport, has stats that make a special snowflake out of every player.

—Ben Rowen

b

: someone who is overly sensitive

One side derides the youth driving the movement as snowflakes and social justice warriors, too sensitive and too politically correct.

—Vanessa McCray

We are not delicate creatures. We are not snowflakes.

—Rosie DiManno

Examples of snowflake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The holiday partiers were decked out in everything from cocktail dresses to suits to t-shirts and jeans, accessorized with the occasional snowflake earrings or Christmas-tree pin. —Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025

The drooping blooms of summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) appear in mid- to late-spring, around April to May. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025

That's a real name given to the mountain's unique snowflakes that come with a lighter water density than others, giving them a softer, fluffier feel. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025

Through Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s longstanding choreography, the family will travel through winter landscapes with dancing snowflakes, a whimsical world of confection and more treats. —Virginia Brown, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for snowflake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• headache

Kids Definition

snowflake

noun

snow·​flake ˈsnō-ˌflāk 

: a flake or crystal of snow