precipitant

American  

[pri-sip-i-tuhnt] / prɪˈsɪp ɪ tənt /

adjective

1. falling headlong.

2. rushing headlong, rapidly, or hastily onward.

3. hasty; rash.

4. unduly sudden or abrupt.

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noun

1. Chemistry. anything that causes precipitation.

precipitant British  

/ prɪˈsɪpɪtənt /

adjective

1. hasty or impulsive; rash

2. rushing or falling rapidly or without heed

3. abrupt or sudden

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noun

1. chem a substance or agent that causes a precipitate to form

Other Word Forms

• precipitance
  noun
• precipitantly
  adverb
• unprecipitant
  adjective
• unprecipitantly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of precipitant

1600–10; < Latin praecipitant- (stem of praecipitāns ), present participle of praecipitāre to cast down headlong. See precipitate, -ant

Explanation

A precipitant is a cause or reason for some event. So if you skip your Biology test on March 17th, your parents might deduce that your enjoyment of the St. Patrick's Day parade was a precipitant of your actions. See the pre in precipitant? Since pre means "before," you can remember that a precipitant always comes before something else. Precipitant can also mean "hasty" — a precipitant marriage is one where both parties marry too quickly. Not to be confused with percipient, meaning someone with unusual sensitivity and understanding of people and events. A percipient person would never skip his Biology test.

Example Sentences

In fact, in people with less-than-healthy hearts, mental stress trumps physical stress as a potential precipitant of fatal and nonfatal heart attacks and other cardiovascular events, according to the latest report.

From New York Times • Jan. 3, 2022

For men, T.G.A. is more likely to occur following a physical trigger; for women, it is more often associated with an emotional precipitant or a history of anxiety.

From New York Times • Sep. 16, 2019

Whatever the precipitant, however, there is a widespread belief that crying is cathartic.

From The Guardian • Apr. 13, 2013

The exact precipitant for the two deaths may never be determined, but, particularly in Schweich's case, the extenuating circumstances appeared to have been known by many.

From Los Angeles Times

The precipitant was Hamilton’s Report on the Public Credit, forwarded to Congress in January of 1790.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis