Serein
/səˈreɪn/noun
A fine, light rain falling from a clear or nearly clear sky, especially at dusk.
Did you know?Serein comes through Old French from Latin serēnus, meaning “clear, calm, bright,” the same root behind English serene—so the word itself carries the eerie contradiction of rain arriving in serenity.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
serēnus
“Clear, calm, bright; fair weather”
Old French
Old French
serain
“Evening; calm weather; light rain”
Middle English
English
serene / serein
“Clear, calm, or fine weather; later, fine rain”
Modern English
English
serein
“A fine rain falling from a clear sky”