Nival

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Of, belonging to, or characterized by snow or snowy conditions
2. Pertaining to or resembling snow, or occurring in regions where snow is present
3. Relating to snow or its properties, especially in geographical or climatic contexts

Etymology: "Nival" is an adjective meaning relating to or growing in snow, and it came into English straight from Latin. The Latin adjective "nivalis" was formed from "nix," the word for snow, and the stem "nivis" that appears in its declined forms. The same root gives English a family of snowy words, from "nivean," meaning snow-white, to the "niveous" that turns up in older scientific writing. The plain story here is one of direct borrowing rather than a long chain of changes. Because the Latin word was already built on a clear, transparent root, English speakers could take it over with little adjustment, and the sense has stayed close to its original meaning: something belonging to snow, or found where snow lies.

Synonyms: snowy, niveous, snow-related