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Definition of snow pea
snow pea
Plural:snow peas
snow pea Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
A variety of pea with a flat, edible pod and small, premature seeds, commonly eaten whole and often featured in Asian cuisine.
Example
"She tossed a handful of crisp snow peas into the sizzling wok with ginger and garlic."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for snow peaWord Nuance & Usage
Frequently confused with the sugar snap pea; snow peas are distinguished by their distinctly flat pods and tiny, premature seeds, whereas snap peas are fully rounded.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived as a translation of the French 'pois de neige', likely referring to the plant's hardiness and ability to be planted in early spring while snow is still on the ground.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Snow pea. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/snow pea