Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

special snowflake syndrome

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.20 in modern English

Syllables: spe-cial s-nowflake syn-drome
IPA

44

Scrabble Score

24

Letters

4

Syllables

16

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The conviction that one (or often one's child) is, in some way, special and should therefore be treated differently from others.

Derogatory; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Although we all like to think we are unique and experience the world in our own way—we all have a touch of the Special Snowflake Syndrome—people are in fact more alike than different."
"America is plagued by the disease of Special Snowflake Syndrome. This is a contracted condition that afflicts the ego; it's where we believe ourselves to be utterly unique and better than everyone else."
"Ah, the Tumblrfication of queer spaces... Maybe we'll finally get the courage to start speaking up against and calling this out without fear of Internet lynch mobs..."

Etymology

From the idea that every snowflake has a unique structure. Compare snowflake (“someone who believes they are as unique and special as a snowflake”).

Usage

Questions

What does special snowflake syndrome mean?: The conviction that one (or often one's child) is, in some way, special and should therefore be treated differently from others.
Where does special snowflake syndrome come from?: From the idea that every snowflake has a unique structure. Compare snowflake (“someone who believes they are as unique and special as a snowflake”).

How to pronounce special snowflake syndrome

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