sleet

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /sliːt/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like slit /ɪ/ vs /iː/

Freq #16397

Meanings

1

verb
precipitate as a mixture of rain and snow

If the temperature rises above freezing, it will probably sleet.
2

noun
Precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain and snow.

Though it never really snows it’s more like horizontal sleet.
3

verb
To be in a state in which sleet is falling.

I won't bother going out until it's stopped sleeting.
4

noun
partially melted snow (or a mixture of rain and snow)

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms sleety

Derived forms sleetfulsleetlesssleetlikesleetproofsleety

Related forms graupelhail

Etymology

From Middle English slete, probably from Old English *slēte, *slȳte, *slīete, from Proto-West Germanic *slautijā, from Proto-Germanic *slautijǭ (“sleet”). Walter W. Skeat, the author of Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, suggests Old Norse slydda (whence Danish slud (“mixture of rain and snow”)). The word appears to be akin to Low German Sloot (“hail”), dialectal German Schloße (“large hailstone”), Old Gutnish sloyta (“slush, sleet”). Doublet of slut.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# sleet

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /sliːt/
**Frequency rank:** 16397

## Meanings
1. precipitate as a mixture of rain and snow
2. Precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain and snow.
3. To be in a state in which sleet is falling.
4. partially melted snow (or a mixture of rain and snow)

## Examples
- If the temperature rises above freezing, it will probably sleet.
- Though it never really snows it’s more like horizontal sleet.
- I won't bother going out until it's stopped sleeting.

## Derived Forms
- sleetful
- sleetless
- sleetlike
- sleetproof
- sleety

## Related Forms
- graupel
- hail

## Etymology
From Middle English slete, probably from Old English *slēte, *slȳte, *slīete, from Proto-West Germanic *slautijā, from Proto-Germanic *slautijǭ (“sleet”). Walter W. Skeat, the author of Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, suggests Old Norse slydda (whence Danish slud (“mixture of rain and snow”)). The word appears to be akin to Low German Sloot (“hail”), dialectal German Schloße (“large hailstone”), Old Gutnish sloyta (“slush, sleet”). Doublet of slut.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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