precipitate

[ verb pri-sip-i-teyt; adjective noun pri-sip-i-tit, -teyt ]

verb (used with object)

precipitated, precipitating.

1. to hasten the occurrence of; bring about prematurely, hastily, or suddenly:

   to precipitate an international crisis.

   Synonyms: accelerate

   Antonyms: retard

2. to cast down headlong; fling or hurl down.
3. to cast, plunge, or send, especially violently or abruptly:

   He precipitated himself into the struggle.

4. Chemistry. to separate (a substance) in solid form from a solution, as by means of a reagent.

   Synonyms: crystallize

verb (used without object)

precipitated, precipitating.

1. Meteorology. to fall to the earth's surface as a condensed form of water; to rain, snow, hail, drizzle, etc.
2. to separate from a solution as a precipitate.
3. to be cast or thrown down headlong.

adjective

1. headlong:

   a precipitate fall down the stairs.

2. rushing headlong or rapidly onward.
3. proceeding rapidly or with great haste:

   a precipitate retreat.

4. exceedingly sudden or abrupt:

   a precipitate stop; a precipitate decision.

5. done or made without sufficient deliberation; overhasty; rash:

   a precipitate marriage.

   Synonyms: impetuous, reckless

   Antonyms: careful

noun

1. Chemistry. a substance precipitated from a solution.
2. moisture condensed in the form of rain, snow, etc.

precipitate

verb

1. tr to cause to happen too soon or sooner than expected; bring on
2. to throw or fall from or as from a height
3. to cause (moisture) to condense and fall as snow, rain, etc, or (of moisture, rain, etc) to condense and fall thus
4. chem to undergo or cause to undergo a process in which a dissolved substance separates from solution as a fine suspension of solid particles

adjective

1. rushing ahead
2. done rashly or with undue haste
3. sudden and brief

noun

1. chem a precipitated solid in its suspended form or after settling or filtering

precipitate

Verb

1. To fall from the atmosphere as rain, snow, or another form of precipitation.
2. To separate as a solid from a solution in chemical precipitation.

Noun

1. A solid material precipitated from a solution.

precipitate

1. In chemistry , a solid material that is formed in a solution by chemical reactions and settles to the bottom of the container in which the reaction takes place. A precipitate may also be a substance removed from another by an artificial filter.

Derived Forms

• preˈcipiˌtator, noun
• preˈcipitable, adjective
• preˈcipitative, adjective
• preˈcipitately, adverb
• preˌcipitaˈbility, noun
• preˈcipitateness, noun

Other Word Forms

• pre·cip·i·tate·ly adverb
• pre·cip·i·tate·ness noun
• pre·cip·i·ta·tive adjective
• pre·cip·i·ta·tor noun
• non·pre·cip·i·ta·tive adjective
• un·pre·cip·i·tate adjective
• un·pre·cip·i·tate·ly adverb
• un·pre·cip·i·tate·ness noun
• un·pre·cip·i·ta·tive adjective
• un·pre·cip·i·ta·tive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of precipitate¹

First recorded in 1520–30; the verb and adjective derive from Latin praecipitātus (past participle of praecipitāre “to cast down headlong”), equivalent to praecipit- (stem of praeceps “steep”; precipice ) + -ātus past participle suffix ( -ate ¹ ); the noun comes from New Latin praecipitātum “a precipitate,” noun use of neuter of praecipitātus

Word History and Origins

Origin of precipitate¹

C16: from Latin praecipitāre to throw down headlong, from praeceps headlong, steep, from prae before, in front + caput head

Example Sentences

Anyone with eyes to see knows that the world economy is in a serious crisis precipitated by Trump and Trump alone.

From Salon

This precipitated a free-for-all, with the public helping themselves to the remnants.

From BBC

The break seemed like a reasonable metaphor for our fractured times: The cable had snapped during an oceanic landslide precipitated by huge floods in the Congo River.

From Los Angeles Times

It was in 2020 when the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement galvanized the whole planet and precipitated efforts to ramp up DEI programs across society that the backlash began in earnest.

From Salon

The lynching of Frank was a precipitating moment for the rise of the KKK in the early 20th century.

From Salon

Related Words

• accelerate
• expedite
• hasten
• trigger