snowdrift

[ snoh-drift ]

noun

1. a mound or bank of snow driven together by the wind.
2. snow driven before the wind.

snowdrift

/ ˈsnəʊˌdrɪft /

noun

1. a bank of deep snow driven together by the wind

Word History and Origins

Origin of snowdrift¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; snow, drift

Example Sentences

Jack woke up facedown in a snowdrift, and for a second—before the cold cut through his shock—he wondered exactly how many times he was going to be knocked out during this quest.

From Literature

Sierra-at-Tahoe said on its website that “the storm’s intensity did not let up — in fact it doubled down overnight,” with winds piling up deep snowdrifts that workers were in the process of clearing.

From Los Angeles Times

Major roadways leading to the stadium were cleared, with 5-foot snowdrifts lining the roads after they were plowed.

From Seattle Times

In an emergency where you have an extended power outage, snowdrifts outside your door can be used as a temporary freezer to keep food ready.

From Seattle Times

Hundreds of cars ground to a halt in snowdrifts.

From BBC

Related Words

• sleet