sleet

1 of 2

noun

ˈslēt 

: rain that freezes or partly freezes as it falls from the sky

Concerned that ice pellets—also known as sleet—were a larger hazard than previously thought, the Federal Aviation Administration in late 2005 adopted strict limits on planes taking off in such icy conditions.

—Susan Carey and Andy Pasztor

The wind blew bitterly cold, and the boughs of the old tree crackled under falling sleet.

—Harriet Jacobs

compare freezing rain, hail entry 1, snow entry 1

sleety

ˈslē-tē 

adjective

sleet

2 of 2

verb

sleeted; sleeting; sleets

intransitive verb

: to shower sleet

Examples of sleet in a Sentence

Noun

The snow turned to sleet and made driving very dangerous.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On a recent evening in early April, more than sixty people braved the sleet and rain to demand that the board approve a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas. —Jim Zarroli, NPR, 18 Apr. 2024

Freezing rain and sleet created slick road conditions in parts of Nebraska Sunday night, the weather service office in North Platte said. —Robert Shackelford, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English slete; akin to Middle High German slōz hailstone

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sleet

1 of 2 noun

ˈslēt 

: frozen or partly frozen rain

sleety

ˈslēt-ē 

adjective

sleet

2 of 2 verb

: to shower sleet