precipitated

[pri-sip-i-tey-tid]

adjective

1. having been brought on suddenly or prematurely.

   Pressure on the tender spot causes the patient to physically react to the precipitated pain by exclaiming or moving.

   Operators are requesting compensation for losses incurred due to the precipitated shutdown of reactors after the accident.

2. Chemistry.,  (of solid material) having been separated from a solution, such as by evaporation or through the use of a reagent.

   You can tell the reaction is complete from the purple color of the precipitated sodium chloride.

   The precipitated salts give the dry lake bed a white color resembling a beach.

3. Meteorology.,  having fallen as rain, snow, hail, etc..

   Most of the precipitated water moves along these defined channels before being discharged into streams.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of precipitate.

Other Word Forms

• unprecipitated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of precipitated¹

precipitate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The outcome precipitated Vermeil’s departure for the Philadelphia Eagles and marked Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes’ final appearance in the Rose Bowl.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The full story of what exactly precipitated the downfall of the BBC's director general and his CEO of News is probably still emerging.

Read more on BBC

It has precipitated the publication of witness statements describing at length serious concerns held by the UK government about China's activities and intentions.

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No details about what precipitated the incident were released.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A spat over seagulls, of all things, and whether the government would postpone a planned summit or make a statement in the chamber about it, precipitated some sharp exchanges between Hepburn and Ross.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• accelerate 
• expedite 
• hasten 
• trigger