Cloudburst

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈklaʊdˌbɝst/

Definitions

1. A swift and violent rainfall event that occurs unexpectedly and can lead to significant flooding in a short duration
2. An abrupt and heavy discharge of rain that is typically localized, often resulting in overwhelming runoff and potential flooding
3. A brief but powerful downpour causing rapid accumulation of water in a short time

Etymology: A cloudburst is about as literal as compounds get: a cloud, and a bursting of it. The sense "sudden heavy downpour" follows directly from the image of a cloud releasing all its water at once, as if the cloud itself had split open. The two parts are both plain English. "Cloud" comes from Old English "clūd", meaning a mass of rock or hill before it came to mean the vapour in the sky, and "burst" is a native English verb for breaking open suddenly under pressure. Joined together, they describe a single dramatic event rather than a gradual rainfall. The word is a straightforward compound, so there is no hidden history to uncover beyond the picture it paints: the sky breaking open and the water spilling out in one rush.

Synonyms: downpour, deluge, rainstorm, shower

Antonyms: drought, dryness