rainfall

noun

rain·​fall ˈrān-ˌfȯl 

1

: the amount of precipitation usually measured by the depth in inches

2

: rain sense 2a

Synonyms of rainfall

• rain

Examples of rainfall in a Sentence

This area has an average annual rainfall of 12 inches.

an increase in annual rainfall

Recent Examples on the Web

The unusual rainfall was likely thanks to the super strong El Niño weather pattern that’s gripped North America since summer. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026

The first round of rain could include brief periods of moderate to heavy rainfall Friday night, although forecasters said most rainfall totals through Saturday morning should remain below an inch. — City News Service, Daily News, 11 Nov. 2026

Next to launch will be a rainfall showerhead, with non-showerhead innovations to come later down the line. — Karin Eldor, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026

Houston faces a 7-inch rainfall deficit from normal for 2026. — Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rainfall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

rainfall

noun

rain·​fall -ˌfȯl 

1

: a fall of rain

2

: amount of precipitation

an annual rainfall of 20 inches