snow-white

snow-white — noun

1. a very pure, bright white colour that is the same as or similar to the colour of

1.nounB1
Definition

a very pure, bright white colour that is the same as or similar to the colour of fresh snow

Example

The walls in Camila's bedroom were painted a soft snow-white.

uncountable noun referring to a colour shade

For the kitchen cabinets, Ilan chose a shade called snow-white.

a shade called / named + colour word

Common collocations
  • shade of snow-white
  • painted in snow-white
  • called snow-white
Synonyms
  • pure white

    less specific; any white without tint, not necessarily similar to snow

  • milky white

    softer and warmer tone; not as bright or cold as snow-white

Antonyms
  • jet-black

    the darkest possible black, opposite end of the brightness scale

Grammar Patterns

a shade of snow-white

painted in snow-white

Usage Note

When used as an uncountable noun, snow-white names the colour itself (e.g., 'a room painted in snow-white'). When used countably with 'a', it refers to a specific shade of that colour.

snow-white — adjective

Word family

  • whiteness
    nounB1
  • white
    adjectiveA1
  • whiten
    verbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe shades of white, but they differ in brightness and connotation. Snow-white is the brightest and coldest shade, directly comparing the colour to fresh snow. Pure white is a neutral term for white without any tint — it is the safest choice in technical or commercial contexts. Ivory has a warm yellowish undertone, named after elephant ivory, and is common in fashion and interior design. Milky white is softer and creamier, with the opaque quality of milk; it suggests warmth rather than brilliance. Pristine white emphasises not just the colour but also a state of cleanness and newness — a pristine white shirt looks freshly laundered. In describing wedding dresses, fashion catalogues often use pure white or ivory rather than snow-white, which can sound stark.

snow-white ↗pure whiteivory ↗milky whitepristine white

Common collocations

Nouns

  • snow-white hair
  • snow-white dress
  • snow-white shirt
  • snow-white fur
  • snow-white teeth
  • snow-white sheets
  • snow-white uniform

Phrases

  • as snow-white as

Prepositions

  • in snow-white
  • of snow-white

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Snow-white comes from Old English snāwhwīt, a compound of snāw (snow) and hwīt (white). The word has been used since the 12th century to describe the pure white colour of fresh snow. Its modern meaning has remained virtually unchanged for over 800 years.