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

This is an especially cute way to dress up the base of your taper candle with winter snowflakes or green pine trees. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2025

Drive by larger-than-life Christmas trees, glowing snowflakes, dancing candy canes, light tunnels and more. —Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Dec. 2025

Before any snowflakes hit the pavement, a whole lot of homeowners made their seasonal pilgrimage to local hardware stores to load up on shovels and salt, if there were any left. —Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 26 Dec. 2025

In the scene, the ballet's protagonist, Clara, explores a winter wonderland of swirling snowflake ballerinas. —Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 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