blizzard
BLIZ-erd
/ˈblɪzərd/
A severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds of at least 35 mph and low visibility.
Implies not just heavy snowfall, but high winds causing blowing snow and near-zero visibility.
The story behind the word. The term originally meant a sharp blow or salvo of gunfire in 1830s American English. An Iowa newspaper in 1870 applied it to a severe winter storm, and the usage spread rapidly across North America.
Word relationships
- snowstorm: Snowstorm is a general term; blizzard specifically requires high winds and low visibility.
- heatwave: Heatwave describes a prolonged period of abnormally hot weather.
Commonly confused with
- sleet: Sleet is frozen raindrops, while a blizzard is blowing snow with gale winds.
Word family
- blizzardly (adjective): Resembling or accompanied by a blizzard.
Collocations
- raging blizzard
- blizzard warning
- blizzard conditions
Idioms & expressions
- blizzard of paperwork
Example sentences
- "The sudden blizzard dumped two feet of snow and trapped motorists on the highway overnight." Winter travel warning
Memory hook
A BLIZzard feels like ice needles BLIZtering your face. Snow plus gale-force winds.
When not to use
Do not use for gentle snowfall without wind or cold conditions.
Fun facts
- To officially qualify as a blizzard in the US, wind speeds must exceed 35 mph with visibility under a quarter mile for at least 3 hours.
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.