rainwater

name

1. A surname.

noun

Etymology: From Middle English reinwater, from Old English reġnwæter, equivalent to rain + water. Cognate with West Frisian reinwetter, Dutch regenwater, German Regenwasser, Swedish regnvatten.

1. 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.”

2. 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.”