Etymology
Advertisement

blizzard (n.)

"strong, sustained storm of wind and cold, and dry, driving snow," 1859, origin obscure (perhaps somehow connected with blaze (n.1), and compare blazer); it came into general use in the U.S. in this sense in the hard winter of 1880-81. OED says it probably is "more or less onomatopœic," and adds "there is nothing to indicate a French origin." Earlier, it typically meant "a violent blow," also "hail of gunfire" in American English from 1829, and blizz "violent rainstorm" is attested from 1770. The winter storm sense perhaps is originally a colloquial figurative use of these in the Upper Midwest.

Entries linking to blizzard

blaze (n.1)

"bright flame, fire," Middle English blase, from Old English blæse "a torch, firebrand; bright glowing flame," from Proto-Germanic *blas- "shining, white" (source also of Old Saxon blas "white, whitish," Middle High German blas "bald," originally "white, shining," Old High German blas-ros "horse with a white spot," Middle Dutch and Dutch bles, German Blesse "white spot," blass "pale, whitish"), from PIE root *bhel- (1) "to shine, flash, burn."

blazer (n.)

1630s, "anything which blazes," agent noun from blaze (v.1). The meaning "bright-colored loose jacket" is by 1880 in British university slang, originally in reference to the red flannel jackets worn by the Lady Margaret, St. John College, Cambridge, boating club. Earlier the word had been used in colloquial American English in the sense of "something which attracts attention" (1845).

updated on October 16, 2022

Advertisement
Advertisement

Dictionary entries near blizzard

blither

blithering

blithesome

blitz

blitzkrieg

blizzard

bloat

bloated

blob

bloc

block

© 2001-2023 Douglas Harper