snowball
|snow-ball|
B2
🇺🇸
/ˈsnoʊˌbɔl/
🇬🇧
/ˈsnəʊˌbɔːl/
rapid increase
Etymology
Etymology Information
'snowball' originates from Middle English, specifically the words 'snow' and 'ball', where 'snow' meant 'frozen precipitation' and 'ball' meant 'spherical object'.
Historical Evolution
'snowball' changed from the Middle English word 'snowballe' and eventually became the modern English word 'snowball'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'a ball made of snow', but over time it evolved to include the verb form meaning 'to increase rapidly'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a ball of snow, especially one made for throwing.
The children made a snowball and threw it at each other.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45