snowflake en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- snōʹflāk
- /ˈsnoʊ.fleɪk/ (General-American)
- /ˈsnəʊ.fleɪk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From snow + flake. Compare Saterland Frisian Sneeflokke (“snowflake”), Dutch sneeuwvlok, Luxembourgish Schnéiflack, German Schneeflocke.
Meanings
- A crystal of snow, having approximate hexagonal symmetry.
- Any of several bulbous European plants, of the genus Leucojum, having white flowers.
- The snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis.
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(derogatory, slang) Someone who believes they are particularly unique and special.
When I come home, one space monkey is reading to the assembled space monkeys who sit covering the whole first floor. “You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else, and we are all part of the same compost pile.”
1996, Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, published 2005, →ISBN, page 134:
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(derogatory, slang) Someone hypersensitive to insult or offense, especially a young person with politically correct sensibilities.
When have words ever hurt anyone? The triggered snowflakes at this liberal university are trying to literally murder our freedom of speech.
2017, Dylan Kyle, quoted in "Campus Voices", The Mugdown (Texas A&M University), August 2017, page 15Now, at least in theory, snowflakes on both coasts in withdrawal from Rachel Maddow’s nightly Kremlinology lesson can purchase a whole book to inspire paroxysms of rage. “White” — even the title is a trigger — is a veritable thirst trap for the easily microaggressed.
2019 April 17, Bari Weiss, “Bret Easton Ellis Takes On ‘Generation Wuss’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:Within a few minutes of stepping foot on the school grounds, a triggered snowflake called the police. Multiple officers accosted Kevin McMahon, a YAF staffer, and threatened to arrest him for exercising his free speech rights since he was outside the designated "free speech area."
2020 January 31, Erin McLaughlin, “Free speech cowed at GMU”, in The Collegian, Grove City College, page 8:Fox News pundits claim to be upset because companies are choosing to embrace the "holidays" rather than "Christmas" to avoid offending any liberal snowflakes.
2017, Ben Brill, "What's wrong with saying 'Happy holidays' this December", High Tide (Redondo Union High School), 20 October 2017, page 7
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A type of lesion that appears as scattered white-brown spots under high magnification light microscopy.
The authors have recently analyzed a PMMA lens explanted because of snowflake degeneration in the dry and hydrated states.
2010, Roger F. Steinert, Cataract Surgery, →ISBN, page 525:These defects may be more pronounced in the superior visual field, perhaps corresponding to the inferior predilection for the snowflake lesions.
2011, Elias I. Traboulsi, Genetic Diseases of the Eye, →ISBN, page 520:Robertson and colleagues reported 10 patients in four families with lesions similar to those of stage I and stage II snowflake generation.
2007, Kenneth W. Wright, Peter H. Spiegel, Lisa Thompson, Handbook of Pediatric Retinal Disease, →ISBN, page 195:
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Something that is unique in every presentation.
MS is referred to as a “snowflake” disease because symptoms vary from person to person.
2016 July 14, Sara Schabe, Krysten Massa, “North Fork native begins stem cell treatment to battle MS”, in Suffolk Times:
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(derogatory, slang, usually) A Caucasian person.
Alright, snowflake, where's the dope?
2009, Michael Jai White, Byron Minns, Scott Sanders, Black Dynamite (motion picture), spoken by Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White):
- (historical) Someone (usually white) who was opposed to the abolition of slavery (Missouri, 1860s)
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| snow flake | alternative | lexicographic | |
| snow-flake | alternative | lexicographic | |
| ❄ | alternative | lexicographic | |
| snowflakes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
snowflake curve · paper snowflake · snowflake eel · snowflake baby · flowsnake · autumn snowflake · snowflake wheel · special snowflake · snowflakeness · snowflake queen · snowflake generation · special snowflake syndrome · broflake · snowflake moray · quiet as a snowflake · snowflake schema · summer snowflake · snowflakelike · snowflake child · snowflake obsidian · spring snowflake · Koch snowflake · snowflakery · snowflaky
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (181)
pnt πατούλιν (crystal) · gd clàdan (Tiree, Mull, Islay, Kintyre) (crystal) · de Schneeflocke (crystal) · sh snegulja (crystal) · ga cáithnín sneachta (crystal) · ia flocco de neve (crystal) · da hvidblomme (flower of the genus Leucojum) · rm scrotta da neiv (crystal) · rm mina da naiv (crystal) · mi kapu (crystal) · rm floc da naiv (crystal) · he פְּתִית שֶׁלֶג (crystal) · izh lumihiutale (crystal) · nv shoh dikʼání (crystal) · lt snaigė (crystal) · yi שנייעלע (crystal) · sq flok bore (crystal) · mn цасан ширхэг (crystal) · th เกล็ดหิมะ (crystal) · esu qanuk (crystal) · sh snijeguljica (crystal) · ms daun salji (crystal) · el νιφάδα (crystal) · es copo nival / níveo (crystal) · es ampo (crystal) · fa-ira بُلورِ بَرْف (crystal) · sh снијегуљица (crystal) · fo flykra (crystal) · gv floag niaghtee (crystal) · sah хаар кыырпаҕа (crystal) · fo kavaflykra (crystal) · lo ເກັດຫິມະ (crystal) · sv snöflinga (crystal) · cy pluen eira (crystal) · br malzenn erc'h f -où erc'h (crystal) · lb Schnéiflack (crystal) · rm floc da nev (crystal) · gl zalopa (crystal) · cs bledule (flower of the genus Leucojum) · mnc ᠯᠠᠪᠰᠠᠨ (crystal) · gl baloco (crystal) · et lumehelves (crystal) · ur بَرْف کا گالَہ (crystal) · cs sněhová vločka (crystal) · ro fulg de nea (crystal) · nl lenteklokje (flower of the genus Leucojum) · mi kapu huka (crystal) · gd leòmag (crystal) · chg لب لب قار (crystal) · ko 눈꽃 (crystal) · vi bông tuyết (crystal) · ko 눈송이 (crystal) · khb ᦵᦙᧆᦉᦏᦱᧇ (crystal) · grc νιφάς (crystal) · sh pahuljica (crystal) · lkt ičháȟota (crystal) · fr flocon de neige (crystal) · kk қар ұшқыны (crystal) · sk snehová vločka (crystal) · rm scrota da nev (crystal) · rm pandschè (crystal) · sh sneguljica (crystal) · gd clòimhdeag (Lochaber) (crystal) · pt floco de neve (crystal) · sh снегуља (crystal) · my နှင်းပွင့် (crystal) · xct ཁ་འདབ (crystal) · fo flyksingur (crystal) · fa-ira دانِهٔ بَرْف (crystal) · es copo de nieve (crystal) · ky кар кыйкымы (crystal) · tr kar tanesi (crystal) · mk снегулка (crystal) · fi kevätkello (flower of the genus Leucojum) · ro fulg de zăpadă (crystal) · ja 雪花 (crystal) · gl falampo (crystal) · rsk пахулька (crystal) · az qar bağı (crystal) · fo snjóflykra (crystal) · ro fulg (crystal) · gv floag (crystal) · it fiocco di neve (crystal) · eu elur-maluta (crystal) · es campanilla (flower of the genus Leucojum) · ar نُدْفَةُ الثَّلْج (crystal) · pt folheca (crystal) · sk snehové páperie (crystal) · tg зарраи барф (crystal) · cmn 雪花 (crystal) · inh чил (crystal) · nl sneeuwvlok (crystal) · cmn 玻璃心 (overly sensitive person) · ga calóg shneachta (crystal) · khb ᦡᦸᧅᧈᦉᦏᦱᧇ (crystal) · rm flocca da naiv (crystal) · fo flyksa (crystal) · alt карычак (crystal) · eo neĝborulo (flower of the genus Leucojum) · yue 雪花 (crystal) · ko 설편 (crystal) · cjs қарчақ (crystal) · cs bledule jarní (flower of the genus Leucojum) · ru белоцве́тник (flower of the genus Leucojum) · cmg ᠯᠠᠪᠰᠠ (crystal) · cmn 雪片 (crystal) · gd slathag (crystal) · la nivis pluma (crystal) · sh пахуљица (crystal) · gl farrapo (crystal) · id kepingan salju (crystal) · stq Sneeflokke (crystal) · bo ཁ་འདབ (crystal) · rm gnoua da naiv (crystal) · es ofendidito (overly sensitive person) · bg снежи́нка (crystal) · be сняжы́нка (crystal) · kk қар бүршігі (crystal) · ja 雪片 (crystal) · hi हिमकण (crystal) · pl śnieżyca (flower of the genus Leucojum) · km ល្អងព្រិល (crystal) · ko 설화 (crystal) · ja 雪の結晶 (crystal) · lv sniegpārsla (crystal) · fa-ira بَرْفِ دانِه (crystal) · fi lumihiutale (crystal) · gd lòineag (crystal) · fa-ira بَرْفْریزِه (crystal) · ka ფანტელი (crystal) · kk қар қылауы (crystal) · ca floc de neu (crystal) · eo neĝero (crystal) · ckb کِلووبەفر (crystal) · hu hópehely (crystal) · be сьняжы́нка (crystal) · de Märzenbecher (flower of the genus Leucojum) · sh snijegulja (crystal) · fi lumipisara (flower of the genus Leucojum) · sl snežínka (crystal) · eo neĝfloko (crystal) · eu elur-luma (crystal) · vo flog (crystal) · ug قار ئۇچقۇنى (crystal) · kl qanik (crystal) · uk сніжи́нка (crystal) · hu hópihe (crystal) · pl płatek śniegu (crystal) · rm flöch da naiv (crystal) · kk қылау (crystal) · sh снијегуља (crystal) · nb snøfnugg (crystal) · sh снегуљица (crystal) · gd pleòiteag (North Uist, Benbecula) (crystal) · gl melendro (crystal) · gv lhiannag niaghtee (crystal) · dng щүәхуар (crystal) · ca borralló (crystal) · bg бла́тно коки́че (flower of the genus Leucojum) · br fulenn erc'h f fulennoù erc'h (crystal) · hu tőzike (flower of the genus Leucojum) · is snjókorn (crystal) · uz qor uchquni (crystal) · kl aputsiaq (crystal) · cmn 雪片蓮 /雪片莲 (flower of the genus Leucojum) · hy փաթիլ (crystal) · ro omătuțe (flower of the genus Leucojum) · ru снежи́нка (crystal) · tt кар бөртеге (crystal) · tk garjagaz (crystal) · vi hoa tuyết (crystal) · gd bleideag (crystal) · ky кар бүртүгү (crystal) · da snefnug (crystal) · io nivo-floko (crystal) · gl fargallo (crystal) · pl śnieżynka (crystal) · gl folerpa (crystal) · rue снежочка (crystal) · ar رُقَاقَةُ الثَّلْج (crystal) · tg барфак (crystal)