averse

shower (rain), downpour

noun ah-VAIRS Rare

Usage Note

Averse specifically denotes a sudden, heavy but brief rainfall, equivalent to English 'shower' or 'downpour'. It differs from pluie (rain in general) by its sudden onset. The phrase une averse de grêle means a hailstorm. Weather forecasts commonly use the plural des averses to indicate scattered showers.

Examples

"On a été surpris par une averse."

Natural Translation

We were caught in a shower.

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