rainwater

¹

[ reyn-waw-ter, -wot-er ]

noun

1. water fallen as rain.

Rainwater

²

[ reyn-waw-ter, -wot-er ]

noun

1. (Leo) James, 1917–86, U.S. physicist: Nobel Prize 1975.

rainwater

/ ˈreɪnˌwɔːtə /

noun

1. water from rain (as distinguished from spring water, tap water, etc)

Word History and Origins

Origin of rainwater¹

before 1000; Middle English rein water, Old English regn-wæter; rain, water

Example Sentences

Temperature swings are incessant and severe, as hot wastewater from showers and washing machines mixes with captured rainwater.

From MIT Technology Review

The stormwater pipes are important because they give that rainwater a place to go instead of pooling in streets or yards, causing floods.

From Voice of San Diego

Birds and high winds have broken some of the 650 unprotected neon tubes that stretch 4,400 linear feet, and rainwater has infiltrated the connectors.

From Washington Post

They’ve uncovered spots others likely never knew about, like the New Jersey State Hospital for the Insane and the rainwater drains under Sydney.

From Popular-Science

Farmers have been struggling in India to grow crops, as they are still heavily reliant on rainwater.

From TechCrunch

The deluge comes from the ceiling, where excess rainwater has worked its way into the subway car from outside.

From The Daily Beast

They had to stay on a patch of asphalt that had been put down to keep rainwater from bleeding into the contaminated soil.

From The Daily Beast

A lot of older cities have sewer systems that take rainwater, sewage, and industrial wastewater in the same pipe.

From The Daily Beast

Some solbreeders still exist on nearby anchored ships, living off fish and rainwater, and some hope of eventual rescue.

From The Daily Beast

RH: The planking system drains into the plantings so only about 20 percent of the rainwater will go into the sewer system.

From The Daily Beast

Here and there were small pools—mere discs of rainwater with a tinge of blood.

From Project Gutenberg

A little rainwater wont hurt meI aint neither sugar nor salt.

From Project Gutenberg

All my saved rainwater was turned brackish, save that in my largest vessel which was sheltered in the lee of the pyramid.

From Project Gutenberg

Common yellow soap is better than scented soap, and rainwater than ordinary water.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of it was carried along by rainwater, but generally it remained: in any case it was noxious and dangerous.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• drink
• rain