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Precipitate: meaning, definitions and examples

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precipitate

 

[ prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt ]

Verb / Noun
Context #1 | Verb

chemistry

Cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution.

Synonyms

crystallize, deposit, solidify.

Examples of usage

  • The silver chloride precipitated from the solution.
  • The addition of sulfuric acid will precipitate the lead ions.
Context #2 | Verb

sudden action

Cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.

Synonyms

cause, provoke, trigger.

Examples of usage

  • The incident precipitated a political crisis.
  • His resignation precipitated a chain of events.
Context #3 | Noun

meteorology

Rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground.

Synonyms

precip, rainfall, snowfall.

Examples of usage

  • The forecast predicts heavy precipitation for tomorrow.
  • The region experienced a lot of precipitation during the winter.

Translations

Translations of the word "precipitate" in other languages:

🇵🇹 precipitado

🇮🇳 अवक्षेपित करना

🇩🇪 Niederschlag

🇮🇩 mengendapkan

🇺🇦 осад

🇵🇱 osad

🇯🇵 沈殿物

🇫🇷 précipité

🇪🇸 precipitado

🇹🇷 çökelti

🇰🇷 침전물

🇸🇦 رواسب

🇨🇿 sraženina

🇸🇰 zrazenina

🇨🇳 沉淀物

🇸🇮 usedlina

🇮🇸 botnfall

🇰🇿 тұнба

🇬🇪 ნალექი

🇦🇿 çöküntü

🇲🇽 precipitado

Etymology

The word 'precipitate' comes from the Latin word 'praecipitare', which means 'to throw or hurl down'. The term was originally used in the context of chemistry to describe the process of causing a substance to be deposited from a solution. Over time, the word's meaning expanded to include the idea of causing something to happen suddenly or unexpectedly. In meteorology, 'precipitation' refers to any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground. The word has evolved to encompass both literal and figurative senses of sudden action or deposition.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,534 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.