snowmelt

American

[snoh-melt] / ˈsnoʊˌmɛlt /

noun

water from snow that is melting or has melted.
the amount of such water.

snowmelt British

/ ˈsnəʊˌmɛlt /

noun

water produced by the melting of snow

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of snowmelt

First recorded in 1925–30; snow + melt ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

snowmelt

This year, the Rocky Mountains had the least snow on record, and the lack of snowmelt is sinking reservoir levels lower.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The ranchers depend on snowmelt that feeds the Colorado River and its tributaries to nourish grasses and hay pastures for their herds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

This year’s early snowmelt has concerned water managers in California and across the West as the region heads into its dry season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026

That means less of that snowmelt makes its way into streams and rivers.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 14, 2026

Soon they found themselves following a stream of snowmelt through a narrow ravine.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023