Word
Definition
adj. having a lot of rain or characterized by rain. You use this to describe weather or a day when it rains often.
adj. characterised by frequent or heavy rainfall. Often used to describe a climate, a specific day, or a season.
Examples
“It is a rainy day so we should stay inside.”
“The tropical region has a long rainy season that lasts from May until October every year.”
“The city's rainy climate necessitates a robust drainage system to prevent the low-lying streets from flooding during the peak of the monsoon.”
Examples
simple
“It is a rainy day so we should stay inside.”
contextual
“The tropical region has a long rainy season that lasts from May until October every year.”
complex
“The city's rainy climate necessitates a robust drainage system to prevent the low-lying streets from flooding during the peak of the monsoon.”
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become'.
Pitfall
It is very rain today
It is very rainy today
Learners sometimes use the noun 'rain' instead of the adjective 'rainy' to describe the weather.
Etymology
From Middle English reyny, from Old English reġniġ, from Proto-West Germanic regnag, from Proto-Germanic regnagaz (“rainy”), equivalent to rain + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian rienig (“rainy”), West Frisian reinich (“rainy”), Dutch regenig (“rainy”), German regnig (“rainy”), Swedish regnig (“rainy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/rainy
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0