Having little rainfall is a characteristic of many places around the world. This phenomenon is often referred to as 'DRY' or 'ARID'. The term 'DRY' is used to describe an area with less than 25 cm of rainfall per year, while 'ARID' is used to describe an area with less than 10 cm of rainfall per year. Both terms are commonly used in crossword puzzles, with 'DRY' being three letters and 'ARID' being four letters.