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noun Uncommon

drizzle

DRIH-zuhl

Drizzle (noun) means very light rain made up of fine, closely spaced droplets. Example: “A cold drizzle settled over the city all morning.”

noun
1
Very light rain made up of fine, closely spaced droplets.
"A cold drizzle settled over the city all morning."
"We walked home through a light drizzle."
verb
1
To rain lightly, or to pour a liquid slowly and thinly over food.
"It started to drizzle just as we left the house."
"Drizzle olive oil over the salad before serving."

How to Use Drizzle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA light, fine rain — or, in cooking, to trickle a liquid like oil or honey thinly over something.

Common mistake

Drizzle is much lighter than a shower or downpour; don't use it for heavy rain.

Common pairings
light drizzle drizzle with oil a fine drizzle

Word Forms

drizzled past tense, drizzles plural, drizzles singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

A cold _____ settled over the city all morning.

Etymology

Likely traces back to an Old English word for dew falling, related to an old sense of "drowsing" or settling gently.

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for drizzle

See all rhymes for drizzle →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “drizzle” mean?

The word “drizzle” means very light rain made up of fine, closely spaced droplets. In plain terms, a light, fine rain — or, in cooking, to trickle a liquid like oil or honey thinly over something.

How do you pronounce “drizzle”?

“Drizzle” is pronounced DRIH-zuhl (/ˈdɹɪzəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “drizzle” in a sentence?

Here is “drizzle” used in a sentence: “A cold drizzle settled over the city all morning.”

What part of speech is “drizzle”?

Depending on how it is used, “drizzle” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “drizzle” come from?

The word “drizzle” comes from Old English. Likely traces back to an Old English word for dew falling, related to an old sense of "drowsing" or settling gently.

Is “drizzle” a common word?

“Drizzle” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “drizzle” have?

“Drizzle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: very light rain made up of fine, closely spaced droplets.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial