hailstone

Pronunciation: /ˈheɪlstoʊn/

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun small pellet of ice that falls during a hailstorm

Etymology

From Middle English hailston, haylestone, hawelston, hawleston, from Old English hagolstān (“hailstone”), from Proto-West Germanic *haglastain, from Proto-Germanic *haglastainaz, equivalent to hail + stone. Cognate with West Frisian heilstien (“hailstone”), Saterland Frisian Hailsteen (“hailstone”), Dutch hagelsteen (“hailstone”), German Low German Hagelsteen (“hailstone”), German Hagelstein (“hailstone”), Swedish hagelsten (“hailstone”), Icelandic haglsteinn (“hailstone”).

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