Definition
The white frozen precipitation that falls from the sky in cold weather.
Example
Зимой снег покрывает всю землю вокруг.
Show translation
In winter, snow covers all the ground around.
Etymology
From Proto-Slavic *sněgъ, related to Old Church Slavonic снѣгъ and cognate with Lithuanian sniegas, and further to Proto-Indo-European *sneyg̑ʰ- ("to snow"). Closely related to the English word "snow" and German "Schnee" — all descendants of the same ancient root.
Cultural note
Snow is deeply woven into Russian cultural identity. Russia's vast territory means snow covers most of the country for months, and it features prominently in literature (Pushkin, Tolstoy, Pasternak) and folklore. The phrase «как снег на голову» ("like snow on the head") is a common idiom meaning something arrived completely unexpectedly — a good phrase to learn early. Note that снег is a masculine noun with an irregular prepositional form: в снегу (in the snow), not в снеге.