adjective
-
covered with or abounding in snow
snowy hills
-
characterized by snow
snowy weather
-
resembling snow in whiteness, purity, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of snowy
before 1000; Middle English snawy, Old English snāwig. See snow, -y 1
Explanation
Snowy things are covered with snow or resemble snow—like snowy rooftops in the winter or your grandpa's snowy beard that makes him look like Santa Claus. You can use snowy to describe the hills and fields in Vermont during your January visit, and also when you talk about the weather: "Next week looks snowy, but it's going to warm up after that." Things that are the brilliant white color of fresh snow are also snowy, like a swan's snowy feathers or your neighbor's snowy wall-to-wall carpet that you're not allowed to walk on.
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.
Snowy weather is forecast for 46% of the U.S. population, with a strong storm impacting the Central U.S. late in the holiday weekend.
From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025
A woman missing for six days in Australia’s Snowy Mountains has been found "dazed and injured" by emergency services after a massive search and rescue operation.
From BBC • Oct. 28, 2024
Snowy peaks tumble down to steep granite walls.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2024
Snowy areas in in the Rocky Mountains of North America, the European Alps and northern Europe are thawing prematurely as the Earth warms.
From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2024
Snowy white chaises with chartreuse pillows, jade bedcurtains and saffron drapes, fuchsia walls and garnet tapestries.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
