noun
Uncommon
dew
joo
Dew (noun) means Tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces outdoors overnight, from moisture in the air. Example: “The grass was still wet with dew when we set off at dawn.”
noun
1
Tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces outdoors overnight, from moisture in the air.
"The grass was still wet with dew when we set off at dawn."
"Spiders' webs sparkled with dew in the early morning light."
"We left footprints in the dew as we crossed the lawn."
verb
1
To moisten something with, or as if with, dew.
"Withdraw heat from a gas, and it will dew into a liquid. Subtract more heat, and a solid forms."
— Sam Kean, Caesar's Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us (2017)
"Morning mist dewed the windows of the parked cars."
"A cool night dewed the meadow before the sun came up."
"Light rain dewed her hair as she walked home."
"Yesterday she tied Kenneth to a tree and left him there for hours when it was dewing."
— Cecily Sidgwick, Six of Them (1929)
How to use dew
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe fine water droplets that appear outdoors on cool mornings and evenings.
Common pairings
morning dew
dew on the grass
heavy dew
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Word forms
- Plural
- dews
- Third person singular
- dews
- Past tense
- dewed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The grass was still wet with _____ when we set off at dawn.
Etymology
From Old English dēaw, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "moisture" or "haze," related to German Tau and Dutch dauw.
Frequently asked questions
What does “dew” mean?
The word “dew” means tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces outdoors overnight, from moisture in the air. In plain terms, the fine water droplets that appear outdoors on cool mornings and evenings.
How do you pronounce “dew”?
“Dew” is pronounced joo (/d͡ʒuː/ in IPA).
How do you use “dew” in a sentence?
Here is “dew” used in a sentence: “The grass was still wet with dew when we set off at dawn.”
What part of speech is “dew”?
Depending on how it is used, “dew” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “dew” come from?
The word “dew” comes from Old English. From Old English dēaw, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "moisture" or "haze," related to German Tau and Dutch dauw.
Is “dew” a common word?
“Dew” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “dew” have?
“Dew” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces outdoors overnight, from moisture in the air.
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