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Definition of "rain-maker" [rain-maker]

  • Among superstitious races, as those of Africa, a sorcerer who pretends to have the power of producing a fall of rain by incantation or supernatural means. Also called rain-doctor. (noun)
  • One who pretends to be able to cause rain by some physical process. The ringing of bells, the explosion of gunpowder or dynamite (Dyrenforth's method), the mixing of chemicals producing various vapors (Melbourne's method), the burning of piles of brushwood (Espy's method), are among the methods that have been tried. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

Use "rain-maker" in a sentence
  • "Yet by that time, I would prefer to think of this system as a rain-maker from the Caribbean, rather than attach any meaningful tropical aspects to it."
  • "He wrote, If the primitive witch-smeller is the spiritual progenitor of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the primitive rain-maker is equally the spiritual progenitor of the Cavendish Professor of Physics."
  • "And this system is eventually going to make its way to the mid Atlantic and northeast and be a major wind and rain-maker come Wednesday and into Thursday."