Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

hail

verb, noun

/heɪl/

Definition

Hail refers to pellets of frozen rain that fall from thunderstorms; it can also mean to greet or acclaim someone enthusiastically.

Examples

Hail fell from the sky during the storm, damaging several cars.
The crowd began to hail the champion as he entered the stadium.

Meaning

In the context of weather, hail consists of ice particles that fall when strong updrafts in storms carry water droplets high into the atmosphere. When discussing greetings, to hail means to call out or acknowledge someone, often to show respect or enthusiasm.