acid precipitation

noun

1. meteorological precipitation that is relatively acidic.

acid precipitation

1. Any form of precipitation, including rain, snow, hail, fog, or dew, that is high in acid pollutants, especially sulfuric and nitric acid. Acid precipitation has a pH of less than 5.6 (the normal acidity of unpolluted atmospheric water) and is often less than pH 5.0.

2. Also called acid rain

3. See Note at acid deposition

Word History and Origins

Origin of acid precipitation¹

First recorded in 1975–80