pluvial

[ploo-vee-uh l] /ˈplu vi əl/
adjective
1.
of or relating to rain, especially much rain; rainy.
2.
Geology. occurring through the action of rain.
noun
3.
Geology. a rainy period formerly regarded as coeval with a glacial age, but now recognized as episodic and, in the tropics, as characteristic of interglacial ages.
Origin
1650-60; < Latin pluviālis, equivalent to pluvi(a) rain + -ālis -al1
Related forms
interpluvial, adjective
Examples from the web for pluvial
  • Evidence of early human inhabitation has been found along the shorelines of pluvial lakes.
British Dictionary definitions for pluvial

pluvial

/ˈpluːvɪəl/
adjective
1.
of, characterized by, or due to the action of rain; rainy: pluvial insurance
noun
2.
(geology) of or relating to rainfall or precipitation
3.
a climate characterized by persistent heavy rainfall, esp one occurring in unglaciated regions during the Pleistocene epoch
Word Origin
C17: from Latin pluviālis rainy, from pluvia rain
Word Origin and History for pluvial
adj.

1650s, "pertaining to rain," from French pluvial (12c.), from Latin pluvialis "pertaining to rain, rainy, rain-bringing," from (aqua) pluvia "rain (water)," from fem. of pluvius "rainy," from plovere "to rain," from PIE root *pleu- "to flow, to swim" (cf. Sanskrit plavate "navigates, swims;" Greek plynein "to wash," plein "to navigate," ploein "to float, swim," plotos "floating, navigable;" Armenian luanam "I wash;" Old English flowan "to flow;" Old Church Slavonic plovo "to flow, navigate;" Lithuanian pilu, pilti "to pour out," plauju, plauti "to swim, rinse").

pluvial in Science
pluvial
  (pl'vē-əl)   
Relating to or caused by rain.