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
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
Northern California can expect near-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation on April 25 through May 1, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.
—
Kendrick Marshall, Sacbee.com, 18 Apr. 2025
The precipitation should continue into Tuesday morning before 8 a.m.
—Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2025
Temperature, wind speed, humidity and precipitation all have a major impact on a chemical’s effectiveness.
—Renny Vandewege, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Rising temperatures and precipitation in some areas are increasing the number and duration of allergenic mold spores.
—Umair Irfan, Wired News, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitation
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kendrick Marshall, Sacbee.com, 18 Apr. 2025
The precipitation should continue into Tuesday morning before 8 a.m.
—Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2025
Temperature, wind speed, humidity and precipitation all have a major impact on a chemical’s effectiveness.
—Renny Vandewege, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Rising temperatures and precipitation in some areas are increasing the number and duration of allergenic mold spores.
—Umair Irfan, Wired News, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitation
Cite this Entry
“Precipitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precipitation. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share