rainmaker

[ reyn-mey-ker ]

noun

1. (among American Indians) a medicine man who by various rituals and incantations seeks to cause rain.
2. a person who induces rainfall by using various scientific techniques, as the seeding of clouds with silver iodide crystals from an airplane.
3. Slang. an executive or lawyer with exceptional ability to attract clients, use political connections, increase profits, etc.:

   The president has several rainmakers among his advisers.

rainmaker

/ ˈreɪnˌmeɪkə /

noun

1. (among Native Americans) a professional practitioner of ritual incantations or other actions intended to cause rain to fall
2. informal.
   an influential employee who creates a great deal of business or revenue for his or her firm

Derived Forms

• ˈrainˌmaking, noun

Other Words From

• rainmaking noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rainmaker¹

An Americanism dating back to 1765–75; rain + maker

Example Sentences

The City Council did not greet the rainmaker as a liberator.

From Voice of San Diego

The Rainmaker, John Grisham April 1, 1995  The Rainmaker, John Grisham's sixth novel, took the summer of 1995 by storm.

From The Daily Beast

I see rainmaker putting bad stuff into their sides with a little knife.

From Project Gutenberg

Has any utmost precision of barometer been able to drive the priest out of his prerogatives as rainmaker?

From Project Gutenberg

The last of the correspondents left on the evening of the day that Judge Thayer set the rainmaker to work.

From Project Gutenberg

But the wind was against the rainmaker; nature conspired to mock him before men as the quack that he was.

From Project Gutenberg

The town knew all about the rainmaker at work behind the shielding rows of tall corn in Judge Thayer's garden.

From Project Gutenberg