# Serena

/səˈɹinə/ (US) · /sɛɹˈiːnɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/serena
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female name

noun · CEFR B1

a common name for a girl or woman.

For teachers: a female given name derived from the Latin 'serenus', meaning clear or tranquil.

- Serena Williams is one of the most famous tennis players in history.
- The name Serena has seen a resurgence in popularity across several European countries over the last decade.

### 2. fine evening rain

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a very old word for light rain that falls from a clear sky after the sun goes down.

For teachers: a fine rain falling from a cloudless sky after sunset. This sense is obsolete and primarily of interest to historical linguistics.

- The poet wrote about the serena falling softly on the garden at dusk.
- In medieval texts, the term serena was used to describe the paradoxical occurrence of precipitation from an apparently clear evening sky.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.