rainwater
nounEtymology From Middle English reinwater, from Old English reġnwæter, equivalent to rain + water. Cognate with West Frisian reinwetter, Dutch regenwater, German Regenwasser, Swedish regnvatten.
1
Usually Rainfall.
- In early December, as rainwaters had started the monthlong process of flooding mines and washing out rail lines, workers lined up before 1 p.m. at an easy-to-miss storefront depot in Mackay.2011 December 1, Joel Kirkland, “Australia's Record Rains Squeeze World Coal Supplies as Scientists Study Climate Pattern”, in The New York Times:
2
Usually Water (for a house, etc.) sourced from rain which has not joined a spring, stream or river, pond, lake or sea.
- Constructed of hard flint stone, which came as ballast from England and is now painted coral white, the house has a fishpond, or catchment, roof, dating from 1788, to collect rainwater.1987 January 18, Paula Deitz, “ISLAND LIVING, ENGLISH STYLE”, in The New York Times:
- Derived terms
- rainwater goods