rime: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowLiterary, Technical (meteorology), Archaic/Historical
Quick answer
What does “rime” mean?
A coating of ice, typically granular and frost-like, formed on surfaces by the rapid freezing of supercooled water droplets in fog or cloud.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A coating of ice, typically granular and frost-like, formed on surfaces by the rapid freezing of supercooled water droplets in fog or cloud.
As a noun, it also refers to a literary term for 'frost' or 'hoarfrost' and, archaically, a synonym for 'rhyme'. As a verb, it means to cover with such frost or to compose rhymes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is rare in everyday usage in both. The archaic/literary senses are equally recognized. The meteorological term is standard in scientific contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Primarily technical or literary. May evoke classical or historical texts. The spelling 'rime' for 'rhyme' is considered archaic, with 'rhyme' being the standard modern form.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday speech. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British contexts due to the historical/literary influence (e.g., Coleridge's poem).
Grammar
How to Use “rime” in a Sentence
[surface] + be + covered/coated/encrusted + with + rime[rime] + form + on + [surface][fog/wind] + deposit + rimeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “rime” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The summit rocks were rimed with a thick, crystalline deposit.
- The old poet would often rime his verses by the fire.
American English
- The antennae were completely rimed after the overnight ice fog.
- (Archaic) He loved to rime and tell stories.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form in use)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form in use)
adjective
British English
- The rime-covered pines stood silent in the dawn.
- They studied the rime formation on the wings.
American English
- The rime-encrusted sign was hard to read.
- The scientist took samples of the rime deposit.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in meteorology, environmental science, and literary studies.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used in descriptive writing or in regions with specific winter weather.
Technical
Standard term in meteorology for a specific type of ice accretion on objects.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “rime”
- Using 'rime' to mean modern 'rhyme' in a non-historical context. Spelling it as 'rhyme' when referring to the frost type. Pronouncing it like 'rhyme' (/raɪm/) in British English where the traditional pronunciation is /rʌɪm/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Historically, yes. However, in modern English, 'rhyme' is the universal spelling for the poetic technique. 'Rime' is preserved in some historical titles and is now primarily a distinct word meaning a type of frost.
Frost is a general term. Rime is a specific type of frost that forms when supercooled water droplets in fog freeze instantly on contact with a cold surface, creating a white, granular, and often wind-facing deposit.
In American English, it's pronounced identically to 'rhyme' (/raɪm/). In British English, the traditional pronunciation is /rʌɪm/ (like 'rime' in 'prime'), though the /raɪm/ pronunciation is also heard, especially for the archaic 'rhyme' sense.
Yes. As a verb, it means 'to cover with rime' (e.g., 'The trees were rimed with ice'). Its archaic verbal meaning 'to compose rhymes' is obsolete.
A coating of ice, typically granular and frost-like, formed on surfaces by the rapid freezing of supercooled water droplets in fog or cloud.
Rime is usually literary, technical (meteorology), archaic/historical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (title of a poem)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'rime' as the 'rough, granular frost' you get from freezing fog on a mountain (both have an 'r'), unlike the smoother hoarfrost.
Conceptual Metaphor
Rime as a 'frozen beard' on objects; nature's rough, white paint.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the word 'rime' a standard technical term?