Home › Glossary › Letter S

Serein

Weather
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A rare meteorological term for fine rain falling from a clear, cloudless evening sky; creates a tranquil atmosphere in verse.

Detailed Definition
Serein is a delicate evening rain that appears to descend from a sky with little or no visible cloud. Its seeming contradiction gives it a dreamlike quality, as though moisture has emerged from darkness itself. In poetry, serein can heighten twilight scenes, lend mystery to a garden or street, or suggest tears without an obvious cause. The term carries an old-fashioned grace that suits meditative, nocturnal, and romantic verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Serein fell after sunset, silvering the garden in near silence; Because serein is a fine evening rain falling from a clear sky, it can make a scene feel uncanny; The speaker mistakes the serein for dew until drops touch his upturned face; A poet might contrast warm dusk light with serein to show beauty containing sadness
Additional Notes
Serein is a rare, delicate evening rain from an apparently clear sky. It can suggest mystery, surprise, or hushed beauty.
Also Known As
Evening Rain Sunset Rain
Skip to main content