snow \snow\, n. oe. snow, snaw, as. sn=aw; akin to d. sneeuw,
   os.  ohg. sn=eo, g. schnee, icel. snaer, snj=or,
   snaj=ar, sw. sn"o, dan. snee, goth. snaiws, lith.
   sn"egas, russ. snieg', ir.  gael. sneachd, w. nyf, l. nix,
   nivis, gr. acc. ni`fa, also as. snimacwan to snow, g.
   schneien, ohg. snimacwan, lith. snigti, l. ningit it snows,
   gr. ni`fei, zend snizh to snow; cf. skr. snih to be wet or
   sticky. root172.
   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.
      1913 webster

   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.
         1913 webster

   2. fig.: something white like snow, as the white color
      argent in heraldry; something which falls in, or as in,
      flakes.
      1913 webster

            the field of snow with eagle of black therein.
                                                  --chaucer.
      1913 webster

   red snow. see under red.
      1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster
see also:
red snow red snow bunting snowbird snow cock snow flea 
achorutes nivicola snow flood snow flower snow fly snow insect 
boreus snow gnat chionea snow goose chen 
chen hyperborea white brant wavey texas goose chen coerulescens 
white head white-headed goose bald brant snow leopard snow line 
snow mouse arvicola nivalis snow pheasant tetraogallus tetraogallus himalayensis 
snow cock snow chukor snow partridge partridge snow pigeon 
columba leuconota snow plant sarcodes sanguinea