droplet

American  

[drop-lit] / ˈdrɒp lɪt /

noun

1. a little drop.

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droplet British  

/ ˈdrɒplɪt /

noun

1. a tiny drop

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Etymology

Origin of droplet

First recorded in 1600–10; drop + -let

Explanation

A tiny bit of dripping liquid is a droplet. It's so relaxing to take a slow walk in the misty rain, listening to water droplets fall on your umbrella. A droplet is a smaller version of a drop, which you can tell from the diminutive suffix -let, "smaller" (think booklet and piglet). If you're perspiring lightly on a hot day, you'll have droplets of sweat on your forehead, and if you accidentally turn on the spray attachment in the kitchen sink, you should dry those water droplets on the counter. Don't worry too much, though — the main thing to know about droplets is that they're tiny.

Related Words

• bead