Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
hailstone
noun
/ˈheɪlˌstoʊn/
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Definition
A small, round pellet of ice that falls from clouds during a hailstorm.
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Examples
- During the storm, hailstones pounded the roof, creating a loud noise.
- The size of the hailstones varied from small peas to golf balls.
- After the hailstorm, we found hailstones scattered across the yard.
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Meaning
Hailstones are solid precipitation that forms in thunderstorms when updrafts lift water droplets into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, freezing them into ice.
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Synonyms
- Ice pellet
- Hail
- Frozen precipitation