snowstorm
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a storm with a lot of snow and strong winds that make it hard to see.
a meteorological event involving heavy snowfall accompanied by strong winds.
Simple“The flight was cancelled because of a sudden snowstorm at the airport.”
In context“The unexpected snowstorm blanketed the mountain pass in several feet of powder, forcing the local authorities to close the highway for safety.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a glass ball filled with water and white powder that looks like snow when you shake it.
a decorative object consisting of a transparent sphere enclosing a miniaturized scene and liquid that, when shaken, simulates a snowfall.
Simple“She bought a small snowstorm with a tiny Eiffel Tower inside as a souvenir.”
In context“The collector specialized in vintage holiday decorations, including rare hand-painted snowstorms from the early twentieth century.”
Synonymssnow globe
From earlier snow-storm, snow storm, equivalent to snow + storm. Compare Scots snawstorm (“snowstorm”), Saterland Frisian Sneestoarm (“snowstorm”), West Frisian sniestoarm (“snowstorm”), Dutch sneeuwstorm (“snowstorm”), German Low German Sneestorm (“snowstorm”), German Schneesturm (“snowstorm”), Danish snestorm (“snowstorm”), Swedish snöstorm (“snowstorm”), Icelandic snjóstormur (“snowstorm”). Compare also Middle English storm of snow (“snowstorm”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.