graupel

[ grou-puhl ]

noun

1. snow pellets.

graupel

/ ˈɡraʊpəl /

noun

1. soft hail or snow pellets

graupel

/ grou′pəl /

1. A small, white ice particle that falls as precipitation and breaks apart easily when it lands on a surface.
2. Also called snow pellet soft hail

Word History and Origins

Origin of graupel¹

1885–90; < German; diminutive of Graupe hulled grain

Word History and Origins

Origin of graupel¹

German, from Graupe, probably from Serbo-Croat krupa; related to Russian krupá peeled grain

Example Sentences

A stray shower can’t be ruled out — perhaps even a couple snowflakes or grains of frozen graupel mixed in somewhere nearby.

From Washington Post

From the base local showers of rain or snow, occasionally of hail or graupel, usually fall.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• blizzard
• snowstorm