Where does “snow pillow” come from?

snow pillow (English) comes from English snow, from Middle English snow, from Old English snāw, from Proto-West Germanic snaiw, from Proto-Germanic snaiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European snóygʷʰos, from Proto-Indo-European sneygʷʰ- — to snow.

snow pillow (English): A large pillow-like surface for measuring snowpack based on the hydrostatic pressure created by overlying snow

Definitions

  1. A large pillow-like surface for measuring snowpack based on the hydrostatic pressure created by overlying snow

Ancestry of “snow pillow”, step by step

snow pillow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English snow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsnowThe frozen, crystalline state of water that falls...
2Middle Englishsnowsnow; snow-white; The temperature where snow...
3Old Englishsnāwsnow
4Proto-West Germanicsnaiwsnow
5Proto-Germanicsnaiwazsnow
6Proto-Indo-Europeansnóygʷʰossnow
7Proto-Indo-Europeansneygʷʰ-to snow

via English pillow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpillowA soft cushion used to support the head in bed; A...
2Middle EnglishpilweA soft stuffed bag; a cushion or pillow; A pad; a...
3Old Englishpylepillow
4Proto-West Germanic*pulwīpillow, cushion, bolster
5Latinpulvīnusa cushion, pillow, bolster to sit or lie upon
6Latinpulvisdust, powder; an arena, place of contest
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sneygʷʰ-
snow pillow — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer