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 notesIn 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.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
light drizzle
drizzle with oil
a fine drizzle
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Word forms
- Plural
- drizzles
- Third person singular
- drizzles
- Past tense
- drizzled
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.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
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.
