Definition

Water that falls from the sky as rain and is usually clean and soft, containing few minerals.

Example

We collected rainwater to use for watering the garden.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about collecting rainwater for your garden?

That sounds interesting! I’ve never tried it before.

It's actually a great way to use natural resources.

Yeah, and it would be nice to have soft rainwater for my plants.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Rainwater → It is formed from "rain" (from Old English *regn*, meaning water that falls from the sky) and "water" (from Old English *wæter*, meaning liquid that falls as rain). The word "rainwater" refers to the water that falls as rain.

Memory Tip

Think of 'rain' as the water that falls from the sky and 'water' as the liquid itself — together, they describe the water that comes from rain.

Visually Confused Words