snow

Where does the word "snow" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic snaiwaz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Snow’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: snaiwaz meant “snow.” Shares an ancient root with Latin 'nix, nivis' and Russian 'sneg'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as snāw. Old English poems pair snow with hail and frost in scenes of exile and winter. It reached English by 1500s as snow. 'snowflake' dates from the 1700s. Today, snow means frozen water vapour falling as white flakes.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient snaiwaz "snow", shares an ancient root with Latin 'nix, nivis' and Russian 'sneg'.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s snāw "snow", Old English poems pair snow with hail and frost in scenes of exile and winter.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s snow "snow", 'snowflake' dates from the 1700s.