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

Species like sun pitchers (Heliamphora), on the other hand, collect rainwater rather than producing their own enzymes. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Exposure to untreated sewage, which can enter homes by backing up through plumbing or via flood when rainwater overwhelms sewer systems, can cause illness. —Tammy Webber, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026

These plants should be watered with distilled or rainwater. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026

This model is available with lots of options, including furniture, appliances, skylights, and a fully off-grid setup with solar panels and rainwater harvesting system. —New Atlas, 12 Jan. 2026

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