freezing rain

noun

1. rain that falls as a liquid but freezes into glaze upon contact with the ground.

Word History and Origins

Origin of freezing rain¹

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

Temperatures are expected to fall to minus 3C overnight with challenging conditions expected for the rest of the week, including snow, ice and freezing rain.

From BBC

But their teammate became still more lost after a strong storm passed by, bringing "high winds and freezing rain" and leaving him without phone signal.

From BBC

Freezing rain pelted the men before giving way to snow and blizzard conditions en route from Seattle to Seward, Alaska.

From Seattle Times

The region also experienced freezing rain, which caused some branches to fall, leading to power outages in the area, he said.

From New York Times

Tucked inconspicuously next to a parking lot for the university's facilities vehicles, two 30-inch-by-30-inch slabs have been warding off snow, sleet and freezing rain on their own -- without shoveling, salting or scraping -- for a little over three years.

From Science Daily