drought
DROWT
/draʊt/
A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.
Denotes an extended chronological period of dryness affecting ecosystems, agriculture, and water supplies.
The story behind the word. Derived from Proto-Germanic roots connected to 'dry'. It shares ancestry with the modern word 'dry', evolving through Middle English as 'drouth' before taking its modern spelling.
Word relationships
- dry spell: Dry spell is informal and usually refers to a shorter duration than a formal drought.
- deluge: Deluge refers to an overwhelming flood or heavy fall of rain.
Commonly confused with
- draft: Draft refers to a current of air or preliminary document, whereas drought is water scarcity.
Word family
- droughty (adjective): Subject to or characterized by drought.
Collocations
- prolonged drought
- drought conditions
- drought-stricken
- severe drought
Idioms & expressions
- goal drought
- scoring drought
Example sentences
- "Years of severe drought dried up reservoir beds and devastated local crop yields." Agricultural impact report
Memory hook
DRought leaves the ground DRY out. Extended period without rain.
When not to use
Do not use for brief dry spells lasting only a few days.
Fun facts
- Tree rings can record historic droughts going back thousands of years by showing narrowed growth bands during dry seasons.
Explore more words
arid, depletion, Climate Change, irrigation, deprived, dehydrate
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