# rain

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹeɪ̯n/ · frequency rank #2,012

## Definitions
1. Condensed water falling from a cloud.
2. Any matter moving or falling, usually through air, and especially if liquid or otherwise figuratively identifiable with raindrops.
3. An instance of particles or larger pieces of matter moving or falling through air.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *Hréǵʰ-der.
Proto-Indo-European *Hréǵʰnos?
Proto-Germanic *regną
Proto-West Germanic *regn
Old English reġn
Middle English reyn
English rain
Inherited from Middle English reyn, rein, from Old English reġn, from Proto-West Germanic *regn, from Proto-Germanic *regną, of uncertain origin. Possibly from pre-Germanic *Hréǵ-no-, from Proto-Indo-European *Hreǵ- (“to flow”), although the consonant reflexes don't match.
Cognates
Cognate with Yola rhyne, ryne (“rain”), North Frisian Riin, rin (“rain”), Saterland Frisian Rien (“rain”), West Frisian rein (“rain”), Dutch regen (“rain”), Limburgish raenger, Rään (“rain”), German Low German Regen, Ręgen, Rägen (“rain”), Luxembourgish Reen (“rain”), German Regen (“rain”), Mòcheno reng (“rain”), Vilamovian raan (“rain”), Alemannic German regu, räge, rägä (“rain”), Bavarian Regn, rein (“rain”), Cimbrian regan, réego, reng (“rain”), Yiddish רעגן (regn, “rain”), Danish, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish regn (“rain”), Crimean Gothic reghen (“rain”), Gothic 𐍂𐌹𐌲𐌽 (rign, “rain”).

## Easily confused with
- **RN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rn)
- **RI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-ri)
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-run)
- **ran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-ran)
- **ray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-ray)
- **raw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-raw)
- **rid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rid)
- **Rio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rio)
- **rip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rip)
- **Ron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-ron)
- **RAM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-ram)
- **rat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rat)
- **rap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rap)
- **rig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rig)
- **rim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rim)
- **rib** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rib)
- **raj** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-raj)
- **RBI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-rbi)
- **ren** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-ren)
- **Roi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-roi)

## Common misspellings (4)
`arin`, `rainn`, `rian`, `rrain`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rain