precipitation

[ pri-sip-i-tey-shuhn ]

/ prɪˌsɪp ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

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See synonyms for precipitation on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of precipitating; state of being precipitated.

a casting down or falling headlong.

a hastening or hurrying in movement, procedure, or action.

sudden haste.

unwise or rash rapidity.

Meteorology.

falling products of condensation in the atmosphere, as rain, snow, or hail.
the amount of rain, snow, hail, etc., that has fallen at a given place within a given period, usually expressed in inches or centimeters of water.

Chemistry, Physics. the precipitating of a substance from a solution.

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Origin of precipitation

1425–75; late Middle English <Latin praecipitātiōn- (stem of praecipitātiō) a falling headlong. See precipitate, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM precipitation

non·pre·cip·i·ta·tion, nounself-pre·cip·i·ta·tion, noun

Words nearby precipitation

precipitable water, precipitancy, precipitant, precipitate, precipitated, precipitation, precipitation hardening, precipitin, precipitinogen, precipitous, précis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use precipitation in a sentence

Although most of the precipitation associated with last night’s storm exited this morning, clouds stuck around.
PM Update: Light snow mainly passes south of us tonight; cloudy and cold Friday|Ian Livingston|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
However, there are questions about how widespread any icy precipitation may become, with some model projections keeping more of it to the south.
Snow expected tonight, mainly south of D.C., before possible ice on Saturday|Jason Samenow, Wes Junker|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
Enough mild air has worked in aloft to turn precipitation to rain inside the Beltway and points south, though a transition to snow is possible overnight in this area as well.
Snow and wintry mix continue overnight, especially north of District|Jason Samenow, Wes Junker, Andrew Freedman|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
The precipitation continues overnight as lows drop to the mid-20s to low 30s in the city.
D.C.-area forecast: Cloudy and milder today before winter storm threats arrive|Matt Rogers|February 9, 2021|Washington Post

That push of colder air would allow the next round of light precipitation to fall as snow Thursday night into Friday morning.
After Sunday’s slush fest, another winter storm threatens by Wednesday night|Jason Samenow, Wes Junker|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
The soulful girl group made precipitation sexy with their 1982 gospel-esque forecast.
No Pressure, Psy. One-Hit Wonders’ Followup Misses (Videos)|Ben Teitelbaum, Alex Chancey, Nick Mellace, Holly Bernal|April 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Like much of Asia, Thailand is accustomed to serious precipitation during the rainy season.
Will Floods Drown Bangkok?|Lennox Samuels|October 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
When rapidly deposited, as by artificial precipitation, triple phosphate often takes feathery, star- or leaf-like forms.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Under these conditions the temperature of the air rarely descends low enough to favour the precipitation of dew.
Outlines of the Earth's History|Nathaniel Southgate Shaler
Addition of alcohol caused complete precipitation of potassium sulphate.
Some Constituents of the Poison Ivy Plant: (Rhus Toxicodendron)|William Anderson Syme
The ordinary tests fail to show its presence until the mercury has been removed from the solution by precipitation as a sulphide.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz
We may ask what excess will be required to prevent the precipitation of silver chloride in the experiment just tried.
The Elements of Qualitative Chemical Analysis, vol. 1, parts 1 and 2.|Julius Stieglitz

British Dictionary definitions for precipitation

precipitation

/ (prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən) /

noun

meteorol

rain, snow, sleet, dew, etc, formed by condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere
the deposition of these on the earth's surface
the amount precipitated

the production or formation of a chemical precipitate

the act of precipitating or the state of being precipitated

rash or undue haste

spiritualism the appearance of a spirit in bodily form; materialization

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for precipitation

precipitation

[ prĭ-sĭp′ĭ-tā′shən ]

A form of water, such as rain, snow, or sleet, that condenses from the atmosphere, becomes too heavy to remain suspended, and falls to the Earth's surface. Different atmospheric conditions are responsible for the different forms of precipitation.

The process by which a substance is separated out of a solution as a solid. Precipitation occurs either by the action of gravity or through a chemical reaction that forms an insoluble compound out of two or more soluble compounds.

Cultural definitions for precipitation

precipitation

In meteorology, the fall of water, ice, or snow deposited on the surface of the Earth from the atmosphere. In chemistry, a chemical reaction in a solution in which a solid material is formed and subsequently falls, as a precipitate, to the bottom of the container.

precipitation

Origin of precipitation

OTHER WORDS FROM precipitation

Words nearby precipitation

Words related to precipitation

How to use precipitation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for precipitation

Scientific definitions for precipitation

Cultural definitions for precipitation