noun
rainwater
RAYN-waw-ter/ˈreɪnwɔːtər/
Water that has fallen as rain.
A barrel beside the shed collects rainwater for the garden.
Etymology
The compound identifies water by its source: it has fallen as rain. It names the resulting water, rather than just the event of drops falling from clouds.
In context
the hill troop have a secret source of fresh water. [Music] Tree hollows scattered throughout the canopy capture and hold rainwater.
More examples
- Rainwater drips from the leaves after the storm.
- The gutters carry rainwater away from the house.
- We use stored rainwater to water our tomato plants.
Similar words
- rain
- Usually names the falling drops rather than the collected water.
- runoff
- Water flowing over land, sometimes from melting snow rather than rain.