English Reference
adjective · noun

snowy

adj. · n.
US /ˈsnoʊi/ UK /snˈəʊi/ snowy

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

    adj.when a lot of snow is falling or the weather is cold enough for snow.

    adj.characterized by the falling of snow or meteorological conditions conducive to snow.

    Simple

    It was a cold and snowy day, so we stayed inside by the fire.

    In context

    The forecast predicts a snowy week ahead, which will likely cause significant delays for commuters traveling through the mountain passes.

  2. 02 A2 Elementary

    adj.covered with a layer of white snow.

    adj.blanketed or covered with snow.

    Simple

    The snowy mountains looked beautiful in the morning sunlight.

    In context

    The hikers struggled to find the trail beneath the deep, snowy drifts that had accumulated overnight.

    snow coveredblanketed
  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

    adj.having a very bright, pure white color like snow.

    adj.possessing a pure, brilliant white color resembling that of fresh snow.

    Simple

    The bird had beautiful snowy feathers that stood out against the green trees.

    In context

    The bride chose a gown of snowy silk, which shimmered elegantly under the cathedral's soft lighting.

    snow whitepure white
  4. 04 C2 Proficiency InformalDialect

    n.an informal name for a snowy owl or a snowy egret.

    n.an informal designation for specific avian species characterized by white plumage, such as the snowy owl or snowy egret.

    Simple

    We were lucky to spot a snowy hunting near the edge of the field.

    In context

    Local birdwatchers gathered at the marshland hoping to catch a glimpse of the snowy that had been reported nesting nearby.


From Middle English snowy, snawy, from Old English snāwiġ. By surface analysis, snow + -y.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old English snāwiġ
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Frequent
Updated