sleet

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   precipitate as a mixture of rain and snow

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

2. 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. 3
   verb

   To be in a state in which sleet is falling.

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

4. 4
   noun

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

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.

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