Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

snowstorm

/ˈsnəʊstɔːm/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.89 in modern English

Syllables: snow-storm
IPA: /ˈsnəʊstɔːm/

14

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Bad weather involving blowing winds and snow, or blowing winds and heavy snowfall amount.

noun

Example Sentences

"Dined at Melville Castle, whither I went through a snow-storm."
"As we made our way down, my eye was caught by a snowstorm—one of those little glass balls, with a baby cottage inside."

Etymology

From earlier snow-storm, snow storm, equivalent to snow + storm. Compare Scots snawstorm (“snowstorm”), Saterland Frisian Sneestoarm (“snowstorm”), West Frisian sniestoarm (“snowstorm”), Dutch sneeuwstorm (“snowstorm”), German Low German Sneestorm (“snowstorm”), German Schneesturm (“snowstorm”), Danish snestorm (“snowstorm”), Swedish snöstorm (“snowstorm”), Icelandic snjóstormur (“snowstorm”). Compare also Middle English storm of snow (“snowstorm”).

Inflected Forms

snowstorms (plural) snow storm (alternative) snow-storm (alternative)

Derived Forms

snowstormy

Synonyms

blizzard snowdome snow globe

Questions

How do you pronounce snowstorm?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsnəʊstɔːm/.
What does snowstorm mean?: Bad weather involving blowing winds and snow, or blowing winds and heavy snowfall amount.
Where does snowstorm come from?: From earlier snow-storm, snow storm, equivalent to snow + storm. Compare Scots snawstorm (“snowstorm”), Saterland Frisian Sneestoarm (“snowstorm”), West Frisian sniestoarm (“snowstorm”), Dutch sneeuwstorm (“snowstorm”), German Low German Sneestorm (“snowstorm”), German Schneesturm (“snowstorm”), Danish snestorm (“snowstorm”), Swedish snöstorm (“snowstorm”), Icelandic snjóstormur (“snowstorm”). Compare also Middle English storm of snow (“snowstorm”).

How to pronounce snowstorm

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “snowstorm”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈsnəʊstɔːm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “snowstorm”.
Repeat and practice — Say “snowstorm” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.