precipitation
pronunciation
How to pronounce precipitation in British English:
UK [prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn]
How to pronounce precipitation in American English:
US [prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn]
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- Noun:
- the quantity of water falling to earth at a specific place within a specified period of time
- the process of forming a chemical precipitate
- the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)
- the act of casting down or falling headlong from a height
- an unexpected acceleration or hastening
- overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
Word Origin
- precipitation (n.)
- late 15c., "a casting down" (of the evil angels from heaven), also, in alchemy "separation of a solid substance from a solution," from Middle French precipitation (15c.) and directly from Latin praecipitationem (nominative praecipitatio) "act or fact of falling headlong, haste," noun of action from past participle stem of praecipitare "fall, be hasty," from praeceps "steep" (see precipice). Meaning "sudden haste" is c. 1500. Meaning "act of falling from a height" is attested from 1610s. Meteorological sense of "rain, snow, dew, etc." is from 1670s.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Weather is the day-to-day temperature , humidity and precipitation .
- 2. Low precipitation may seem normal near the sahara .
- 3. Average precipitation is not more than 140 mm annually .
- 4. The sky was quite gray , as some precipitation happened overnight , which did not make for the greatest conditions .
- 5. A warmer global climate would bring more precipitation , with more snow falling on the sea ice in winter .