pure as the driven snow

adjective

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

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Meanings

adjectivepure as the driven snow (not comparable)

alternative pure as driven snow · alternative pure as the driven

  1. not comparablesimileExtremely pure; totally pure (typically "pure" in the sense of "virtuous").

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
pure as the driven

Origin

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.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish puhdas kuin pulmunen
  • puhdas kuin pulmunenfree of flaws or imperfections
French blanc comme neige
  • blanc comme neigefree of flaws or imperfections
German rein wie Schnee
  • rein wie Schneefree of flaws or imperfections
Irish chomh glan leis an sneachta
  • chomh glan leis an sneachtafree of flaws or imperfections
Polish czysty jak łza
  • czysty jak łzafree of flaws or imperfections
Welsh cyn wynned â'r eira, cyn wynned â'r ewyn ar y dŵr
  • cyn wynned â'r eirafree of flaws or imperfections
  • cyn wynned â'r ewyn ar y dŵrfree of flaws or imperfections
Cite this entry
APA

pure as the driven snow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pure%20as%20the%20driven%20snow

MLA

“pure as the driven snow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pure%20as%20the%20driven%20snow. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pure as the driven snow,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pure%20as%20the%20driven%20snow.

Source: pure as the driven snow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.