UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: snow

Semantic entry: 2.12

Semantic domains: Natural Substances

Subdomains: Water

Notes: In the NT χιών occurs only as a symbol of complete whiteness, and hence in those cases in which a receptor language may not have any term for snow, it is possible to use a nonfigurative expression such as ‘very, very white.’ In a number of languages, however, there may not be a specific term for snow but a type of descriptive phrase reflecting people’s knowledge about snow, even though the substance may not occur in their immediate vicinity. For example, in some instances snow is spoken of as ‘volcano frost.’ In certain parts of the world, however, the translator’s problem is not in finding a term for snow but in distinguishing between a number of different terms which designate distinct types of snow and snow formations. Under such circumstances one can simply use for ‘snow’ an expression which suggests the whitest variety or that form of snow which is most commonly referred to.