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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Learn U.S. expressions for winter visitors and snow, with a note on an outdated label for women skiers.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe story introduces “snowbird,” a term for a person who spends the cold season in a warmer place, and “snow bunny,” an older label for a young, attractive woman skier. It also describes a blanket of snow and a winter wonderland. The lesson distinguishes useful regional vocabulary from terms that can objectify people.
Cultural note: “Snowbird” is especially associated with seasonal travel in the United States and does not describe every older person who travels south. “Snow bunny” can reduce a woman to appearance and is often outdated; use a specific term such as “skier” unless someone chooses that label for themself. The source’s demographic generalizations are not universal.
Keep exploringSome winter words describe seasonal travel; others carry assumptions about who belongs on the slopes.
Phrase guide · 3 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Name a person who follows warmer weather for part of the year.
Meaning
A person who moves to a warmer region for some or all of the winter.
Tone & use
Common in North American English, especially for seasonal travel. It describes a pattern, not a person’s age or reason for moving.
Example
“My neighbors are snowbirds; they spend January and February near the Gulf Coast.”
Use familiar images for a snow-covered place.
Meaning
A broad, even layer of snow covering an area.
Tone & use
A descriptive metaphor rather than a fixed idiom. It is useful in weather reports and scene-setting.
Example
“A blanket of snow covered the park overnight.”
Recognize a dated label without applying it carelessly.
Recognition caution
Meaning
An older informal term for a young, attractive woman who skis.
Tone & use
Often dated and objectifying. Understand it if you hear it, but prefer “skier” or the person’s own description.
Example
“The announcer corrected the old label and introduced her simply as an expert skier.”
Can objectify women by emphasizing appearance. Prefer a neutral term such as “skier.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
Try it · Choose the best expression
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