English Explanatory Dictionary

precipitation

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any or all of the forms of water particles, whether liquid or solid, that fall from the upper atmosphere (e.g., rain, hail, snow or sleet). It is a major class of hydrometeor, but it is distinguished from cloud, fog, dew, rime, frost, etc., in that it must fall. It is distinguished from cloud and virga in that it must reach the ground.
  2. The amount of water precipitated in any form.
  3. A hurried headlong fall.
  4. A reaction that leads to the formation of a heavier, and often less soluble, solid in a lighter liquid; the precipitate so formed at the bottom of the container.
  5. Unwise or rash rapidity; sudden haste.

Pronunciation

/pɹɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn̩/ En-us-precipitation.ogg

Word forms

precipitation precipitations

Etymology

From Middle French précipitation, from Latin praecipitātiō, praecipitātiōnem. By surface analysis, precipitate + -ion.

Related words

haste rashness

Derived words

acid precipitation aptaprecipitation aptoprecipitation bioprecipitation coprecipitation co-precipitation cryoprecipitation immunoprecipitation microprecipitation nanoprecipitation nonprecipitation palaeoprecipitation paleoprecipitation photoprecipitation postprecipitation precip precipitation hardening precipitationless precipitation reaction reprecipitation superprecipitation thermoprecipitation
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