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precipitate

Syllabification: (pre·cip·i·tate)
Translate precipitate | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of precipitate

verb

Pronunciation: /priˈsipəˌtāt/

[with object]
  • 1cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely:the incident precipitated a political crisis
  • cause to move suddenly and with force:suddenly the ladder broke, precipitating them down into a heap
  • (precipitate someone/something into) send someone or something suddenly into a particular state or condition:they were precipitated into a conflict for which they were quite unprepared
  • 2 Chemistry cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution.
  • cause (drops of moisture or particles of dust) to be deposited from the atmosphere or from a vapor or suspension.

adjective

Pronunciation: /priˈsipətət/

  • done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful consideration:I must apologize for my staff—their actions were precipitate
  • (of an event or situation) occurring suddenly or abruptly:a precipitate decline in cultural literacy

noun

Pronunciation: /priˈsipətət, -əˌtāt/

Chemistry
  • a substance precipitated from a solution.
    [from modern Latin praecipitatum]

Derivatives

precipitable

Pronunciation: /priˈsipətəbəl/

adjective

precipitately

Pronunciation: /priˈsipətətlē/

adverb

precipitateness

Pronunciation: /priˈsipətətnəs/

noun

Origin:

early 16th century: from Latin praecipitat- 'thrown headlong', from the verb praecipitare, from praeceps, praecip(it)- 'headlong', from prae 'before' + caput 'head'. The original sense of the verb was 'hurl down, send violently'; hence 'cause to move rapidly', which gave rise to sense 1 (early 17th century)

The adjectives precipitate and precipitous are sometimes confused. Precipitate means ‘sudden, hasty’: a precipitate decision the fugitive’s precipitate flight. Precipitous means ‘steep’: the precipitous slope of the mountain a precipitous decline in stock prices.

precipitate in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of precipitate in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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