Drizzle

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdrɪz.l/
• Rhymes: -ɪzÉ™l

Origin

Perhaps a back-formation from dryseling, a dissimilated variant of Middle English drysning ("a falling of dew"), from Old English drysnan ("to extinguish"), related to Old English drēosan ("to fall, to decline"), making it cognate to modern English droze and drowse.

Full definition of drizzle

Verb

1. (ambitransitive) To rain lightly; to shed slowly in minute drops or particles.
• ShakespeareThe air doth drizzle dew.
2. (cooking) To pour slowly and evenly, especially with oil in cooking.The recipe says to toss the salad and then drizzle it in olive oil.The recipe says to toss the salad and then drizzle olive oil on it.
3. (slang) To urinate.

Noun

1. Light rain.
2. (physics, weather). Very small, numerous, and uniformly dispersed water drops, mist, or sprinkle. Unlike fog droplets, drizzle falls to the ground. It is sometimes accompanied by low visibility and fog.No longer pouring, the rain outside slowed down to a faint drizzle.
3. (slang) Water.Stop drinking all of my drizzle!

Derived terms

• drizzly