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

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /pɹɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn̩/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

precipitation (countable and uncountable, plural precipitations)

1. (meteorology) 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.
   • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     South Korea’s Ministry of Environment said in a news release that no major precipitation was observed after the cloud seeding operation.

   • 2024 November 15, Julia Jacobo, “Updated drought map shows worsening conditions in Northeast as fire danger persists”, in ABC News‎^[1], archived from the original on 27 November 2024:

     Some rain was expected to fall in Pennsylvania and South Jersey on Thursday, but no precipitation made it to the rest of New Jersey, New York City and most of New England -- all regions in desperate need of moisture following an extremely dry fall.

2. (meteorology) The amount of water precipitated in any form.
3. A hurried headlong fall.
4. (countable, uncountable, chemistry) 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.
   • 2024 October 10, Tiana Milović et al., “Enhancing Compressive Strength of Cement by Indigenous Individual and Co-Culture Bacillus Bacteria”, in Materials‎^[2], volume 17, number 20, →DOI, archived from the original on 24 February 2025:

     This type of bio-inspired material utilizes microbial calcite precipitation to heal cracks that develop autonomously, thereby enhancing the material’s durability and reducing maintenance costs.

5. (figuratively) Unwise or rash rapidity; sudden haste.
   • 1838, [Letitia Elizabeth] Landon (indicated as editor), chapter V, in Duty and Inclination:[…], volume III, London: Henry Colburn,[…], →OCLC, page 49:

     Immediately on returning home, highly satisfied with the result of his visit to Mrs. Belmour, Melliphant found on his table a letter from Sir Howard, over which he cast his eyes with precipitation.

   • 1859 December 13, Charles Dickens, “The Mortals in the House”, in Charles Dickens, editor, The Haunted House. The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round[…], volume II, London: […] C[harles] Whiting,[…], →OCLC, page 6, column 1:

     The young man thanked me, and took his leave with some little precipitation, after declining a glass of liquor.

   • 1933, Dorothy L. Sayers, Murder Must Advertise:

     […] had acted with some precipitation and had probably started out upon a wild-goose chase.

• See also Thesaurus:hydrometeor

• 👁 Image
  precipitation on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• haste
• rashness

• intraepitopic