Where does “snowbow” come from?

snowbow (English) comes from English rainbow, from German Regenbogen, from Middle High German rëgenboge, from Old High German reginbogo, from Proto-Germanic regnabugô, from Proto-Germanic bugô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰugʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ- — to bend; curve, arch.

snowbow (English): An atmospheric phenomenon resembling a rainbow but associated with snow

Definitions

  1. An atmospheric phenomenon resembling a rainbow but associated with snow

Ancestry of “snowbow”, step by step

snowbow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English rainbow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrainbowA multicoloured arch in the sky, produced by...
2GermanRegenbogenrainbow
3Middle High Germanrëgenboge
4Old High Germanreginbogorainbow
5Proto-Germanicregnabugôrainbow
6Proto-Germanicbugôbow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰugʰ-bow; arch
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewgʰ-to bend; curve, arch

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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ-
snowbow — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer