rainwater
noun
water fallen as rain.
rainwater
1 American
[reyn-waw-ter, -wot-er]
/ ˈreɪnˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /
noun
Rainwater
2
American
[reyn-waw-ter, -wot-er]
/ ˈreɪnˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /
noun
rainwater
British
/ ˈreɪnˌwɔːtə /
noun
Etymology
Origin of rainwater
before 1000; Middle English rein water, Old English regn-wæter; see rain, water
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He avoids bottled water due to microplastics and has set up an elaborate system to catch rainwater from the house roof.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
On Earth, most sulfates dissolve easily in rainwater.
From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026
Stroud Brewery is organic, so it does not use pesticides or herbicides, and uses harvested rainwater to flush its toilets.
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026
As of December, its dams were only around 30 percent full on average, and farmers have largely relied on rainwater for irrigation.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
The glass structure was set in the center, and the lead sloped slightly downward all around toward a gutter inside the parapet, with square drainage holes in the stone for rainwater.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
