Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

spate

/speɪt/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about spate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent.
a batch of letters
A sudden forceful flow.
The occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow.

Origin

The noun is derived from Middle English spate, spait (“a flood”), influenced by Scots spate (“torrent of water, flood; heavy downpour of rain; (figurative) bout of drinking; large crowd of people; flood of events, words, etc.”). The further etymology of the Middle English and Scots words is uncertain; they are possibly related to English spatter and Dutch spatten (“to spatter, splash”), possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sp(y)ēw-, *spyū- (whence English spit (“to evacuate (saliva or another substance) from the mouth, etc.”)), which is imitative of spitting.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word