Phrase guide

pure as the driven snow

adj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Extremely pure; totally pure (typically "pure" in the sense of "virtuous").

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Qualifier: simile

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

According to Gary Martin, the term refers to "snow that has blown into drifts and is untrodden and clean". He also notes records of the similar phrase "white as driven snow" since 1611.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: puhdas kuin pulmunen — free of flaws or imperfections
  • French: blanc comme neige — free of flaws or imperfections
  • Georgian: თოვლივით სპეტაკი (tovlivit sṗeṭaḳi) — free of flaws or imperfections
  • German: rein wie Schnee — free of flaws or imperfections
  • Irish: chomh glan leis an sneachta — free of flaws or imperfections
  • Polish: czysty jak łza — free of flaws or imperfections
  • Welsh: cyn wynned â'r eira — free of flaws or imperfections
  • Welsh: cyn wynned â'r ewyn ar y dŵr — free of flaws or imperfections