rainwater
UK: ˈreɪnˌwɔːtə | US: ˈreɪnˌwɔːtər
n. Water that has fallen as rain and is collected or stored for use.
The word "rainwater" is a straightforward compound of "rain" (Old English regn, meaning "precipitation") and "water" (Old English wæter, meaning "liquid H₂O"). It reflects a practical combination of two elemental nouns to describe a natural resource. The term has been in use since at least the Middle English period, emphasizing the functional relationship between rain and its collected form.
The villagers rely on rainwater for irrigation during the dry season.
She installed a barrel to collect rainwater for her garden.
Rainwater harvesting is an eco-friendly practice.
The rooftop system filters rainwater for drinking.
After the storm, the streets were flooded with rainwater.