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

However, when only a single snowflake arrives and Gobo can’t write the yearly holiday song everyone is expecting, the season is thrown off course. —Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 30 Nov. 2025

Drive by larger-than-life Christmas trees, glowing snowflakes, dancing candy canes, light tunnels and more. —Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Nov. 2025

The first snowflakes of the season fell in Denver early Saturday morning, ending the city’s snow drought and marking its second-latest first snow on record, according to the National Weather Service. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 29 Nov. 2025

Sunday will bring our next chance for a few snowflakes early and then more rain during the day. —Bill Kelly, CBS News, 27 Nov. 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