Snowdrop
/ˈsnoʊ.drɑːp/noun
A small bulbous plant with white, usually drooping flowers that blooms in late winter or early spring.
Did you know?Because snowdrops emerge unusually early, they became symbols of hope, resurrection, and the return of life after winter, though their name is simply descriptive rather than occult in origin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sneygʷʰ-
“To snow; the ancient root behind the English word “snow””
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*snaiwaz
“Snow”
Old English
Old English
snāw
“Snow; frozen atmospheric precipitation”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*drup-
“To fall in drops or form a falling drop”
Old English
Old English
dropa
“A drop; a small quantity falling in liquid form”
16th–17th Century
English
snowdrop
“A compound name for the white, drooping flower that appears around the time of snow”