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

The main restaurant uses 70 percent local suppliers, and the hotel’s water supply is harnessed from rainwater tanks. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026

The rainwater hit bedrock and raced down steep mountain slopes like water on a slide. — Ren Larson, ProPublica, 28 Sep. 2026

Much of the Sacramento Valley depends on a network of levees, dams and bypasses to handle both large volumes of rainwater and extra releases from the many reservoirs in the mountains and foothills. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Cole dug rainwater swales, installed a woodstove, and planted vegetables. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 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