rainwater

noun

rain·​wa·​ter ˈrān-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

: water fallen as rain that has not collected soluble matter from the soil and is therefore soft

Examples of rainwater in a Sentence

a bucket filled with rainwater

Recent Examples on the Web

Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2025

Avoid puddles - Driving into puddles or low rainwater areas can lead to vehicles hydroplaning or losing control. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 26 Sep. 2025

These same green spaces also help to cool down cities, which see higher temperatures than their surrounding regions because of the prevalence of asphalt and concrete, and to recycle rainwater for local uses. —Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025

The water that glaciers have stored for centuries flows down to Europe's biggest rivers during the hot and dry summer months, replacing rainwater and snowmelt from the spring. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rainwater

• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater
• granddaughter
• groundwater
• headwater

Kids Definition

rainwater

noun

rain·​wa·​ter -ˌwȯt-ər 

-ˌwät-

: water falling or fallen as rain

Biographical Definition

Rainwater

biographical name

Rain·​wa·​ter ˈrān-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

L(eo) James 1917–1986 American physicist