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

Rain or shine, sleet or snow, Parton manages to keep her hair bouffant and smile as bright as possible. —Perri Ormont Blumberg, Southern Living, 21 June 2024

The early spring snowstorm will inundate a region that didn't get much snow this winter, bringing some sleet and rain overnight, according to the Weather Prediction Center. —Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024

By the end of the day Tuesday, New Yorkers could see up to another inch, though the rest will likely come alongside additional precipitation, including sleet and dangerous freezing rain. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2024

Listen to this article Loading your audio article A spring storm that brought gusty winds, rain, snow and sleet led to thousands of power outages Thursday, more than a dozen school delays and flooding in some areas of the state. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 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 

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

sleety

ˈslēt-ē 

adjective

sleet

2 of 2 verb

: to shower sleet