precipitation

noun

pre·​cip·​i·​ta·​tion pri-ˌsi-pə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the quality or state of being precipitate : hastiness

2

: an act, process, or instance of precipitating

especially : the process of forming a precipitate

3

: something precipitated: such as

a

: a deposit on the earth of hail, mist, rain, sleet, or snow

also : the quantity of water deposited

b

: precipitate sense 1

Synonyms of precipitation

• hustle
• precipitousness

Examples of precipitation in a Sentence

The weather forecast calls for some sort of frozen precipitation tomorrow—either snow or sleet.

a 50 percent chance of precipitation

Minerals are separated from the seawater by precipitation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Droughts are prolonged periods of low precipitation and can lead to a shortage of water. — Kristin Tsumura Tsai, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Upcoming updates will introduce multi-decade precipitation and streamflow variations into the software, while expanding field evaluations to include non-powered dams throughout Alaska and Hawaii. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

Cloud seeding − introducing particles such as silver iodide into clouds to cause water droplets to freeze and fall as precipitation − is not new, but measuring its real-world success has been elusive. — Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

An active southern storm track, which the company said is favored during strong El Niño winters, could result in above-normal precipitation on the West Coast, in the Southwest, across the Southern Plains, in the Southeast, and on the East Coast. — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1502, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing precipitation

• acid precipitation

Rhymes for precipitation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

precipitation

noun

pre·​cip·​i·​ta·​tion pri-ˌsip-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: unwise haste

2

: the process of precipitating or of forming a precipitate

3

: water or the amount of water that falls to the earth as hail, mist, rain, sleet, or snow

Medical Definition

precipitation

noun

pre·​cip·​i·​ta·​tion pri-ˌsip-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: the process of forming a precipitate from a solution

b

: the process of precipitating or removing solid or liquid particles from a smoke or gas by electrical means

2

: precipitate