This noun simply means rain or rainfall, the water falling from clouds that irrigates the earth. While classical Greek also used it for other forms of moistening or irrigation, the New Testament employs it straightforwardly for rain. Both occurrences appear in Jesus's parable of the two builders (Matt 7:25, 27). The storm that tests both houses includes 'the rain' falling along with floods and winds. The repetition emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the storm: not just wind or flood, but rain as well, creating the perfect test of each foundation. The word itself is simple and literal, though its context is deeply symbolic.