Snow \Snow\, n. [OE. snow, snaw, AS. sn[=a]w; akin to D. sneeuw,
OS. & OHG. sn[=e]o, G. schnee, Icel. sn[ae]r, snj[=o]r,
snaj[=a]r, Sw. sn["o], Dan. snee, Goth. snaiws, Lith.
sn["e]gas, Russ. snieg', Ir. & Gael. sneachd, W. nyf, L. nix,
nivis, Gr. acc. ni`fa, also AS. sn[imac]wan to snow, G.
schneien, OHG. sn[imac]wan, Lith. snigti, L. ningit it snows,
Gr. ni`fei, Zend snizh to snow; cf. Skr. snih to be wet or
sticky. [root]172.]
1. Watery particles congealed into white or transparent
crystals or flakes in the air, and falling to the earth,
exhibiting a great variety of very beautiful and perfect
forms.
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Note: Snow is often used to form compounds, most of which are
of obvious meaning; as, snow-capped, snow-clad,
snow-cold, snow-crowned, snow-crust, snow-fed,
snow-haired, snowlike, snow-mantled, snow-nodding,
snow-wrought, and the like.
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2. Fig.: Something white like snow, as the white color
(argent) in heraldry; something which falls in, or as in,
flakes.
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The field of snow with eagle of black therein.
--Chaucer.
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Red snow. See under Red.
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Snow bunting. (Zool.) See Snowbird, 1.
Snow cock (Zool.), the snow pheasant.
Snow flea (Zool.), a small black leaping poduran
(Achorutes nivicola) often found in winter on the snow
in vast numbers.
Snow flood, a flood from melted snow.
Snow flower (Bot.), the fringe tree.
Snow fly, or Snow insect (Zool.), any one of several
species of neuropterous insects of the genus Boreus. The
male has rudimentary wings; the female is wingless. These
insects sometimes appear creeping and leaping on the snow
in great numbers.
Snow gnat (Zool.), any wingless dipterous insect of the
genus Chionea found running on snow in winter.
Snow goose (Zool.), any one of several species of arctic
geese of the genus Chen. The common snow goose (Chen
hyperborea), common in the Western United States in
winter, is white, with the tips of the wings black and
legs and bill red. Called also white brant, wavey, and
Texas goose. The blue, or blue-winged, snow goose (Chen
coerulescens) is varied with grayish brown and bluish
gray, with the wing quills black and the head and upper
part of the neck white. Called also white head,
white-headed goose, and bald brant.
Snow leopard (Zool.), the ounce.
Snow line, lowest limit of perpetual snow. In the Alps this
is at an altitude of 9,000 feet, in the Andes, at the
equator, 16,000 feet.
Snow mouse (Zool.), a European vole (Arvicola nivalis)
which inhabits the Alps and other high mountains.
Snow pheasant (Zool.), any one of several species of large,
handsome gallinaceous birds of the genus Tetraogallus,
native of the lofty mountains of Asia. The Himalayn snow
pheasant (Tetraogallus Himalayensis) in the best-known
species. Called also snow cock, and snow chukor.
Snow partridge. (Zool.) See under Partridge.
Snow pigeon (Zool.), a pigeon (Columba leuconota) native
of the Himalaya mountains. Its back, neck, and rump are
white, the top of the head and the ear coverts are black.
Snow plant (Bot.), a fleshy parasitic herb (Sarcodes
sanguinea) growing in the coniferous forests of
California. It is all of a bright red color, and is fabled
to grow from the snow, through which it sometimes shoots
up.
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