Virga: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Virga noun. Streaks of rain falling from a cloud that dry up before they reach the ground.
How to say it
VUR-guh/ˈvɜːɡə/
2 syllables, stressed on the first (VUR).
Virga in a sentence
Grey curtains of virga hung below the clouds, but the desert floor stayed bone dry.
Pilots keep clear of virga, because the cooled air beneath it can drop sharply.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- fallstreaks
- dry rain
Where virga comes from
From Latin virga, a rod or streak.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Pilots keep clear of _____, because the cooled air beneath it can drop sharply.
- susurrus
- transhumance
- virga
Show the answer
virga: Pilots keep clear of virga, because the cooled air beneath it can drop sharply.