snowflake

UK: /ˈsnəʊfleɪk/ US: /ˈsnoʊˌfleɪk/ ,(snō′flāk′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

snow•flake /ˈsnoʊˌfleɪk/   n. [countable]

1. Meteorology one of the small crystals, flakes, or masses in which snow falls.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

snow•flake  (snō′flāk′), n. 

1. Meteorology one of the small, feathery masses or flakes in which snow falls.
2. Meteorology
   • an agglomeration of snow crystals falling as a unit.
   • any snow particle.
3. Plant Biology any of certain European plants belonging to the genus Leucojum, of the amaryllis family, resembling the snowdrop.
4. Birds See snow bunting. 

• snow + flake¹ 1725–35

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

snowflake / ˈsnəʊˌfleɪk/ noun

1. one of the mass of small thin delicate arrangements of ice crystals that fall as snow
2. any of various European amaryllidaceous plants of the genus Leucojum, such as L. vernum (spring snowflake), that have white nodding bell-shaped flowers
3. a person, esp a young person, viewed as lacking resilience and being excessively prone to taking offence