precipitation

The word “precipitation” means rain, snow, hail, or any other form of water falling from the sky. In plain terms, the general weather-science word for rain, snow, sleet, and hail together; also a chemistry term for solids forming in a liquid.

“Precipitation” is pronounced prih-sih-pih-TAYSHN (/pɹɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn̩/ in IPA).

Here is “precipitation” used in a sentence: “The forecast predicts heavy precipitation across the region tomorrow.”

“Precipitation” is a noun.

The word “precipitation” comes from Latin. From Latin praecipitatio, from the verb praecipitare, \"to throw headlong\" — the same root family as precipice and precipitate.

“Precipitation” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Precipitation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: rain, snow, hail, or any other form of water falling from the sky.

Precipitation is the broader term covering rain, snow, hail, or any other form of water falling from the sky, while rainfall refers specifically to water falling as rain. All rainfall is precipitation, but not all precipitation is rainfall.

Precipitation includes any form of water falling from the sky, such as rain, snow, and hail. In a separate, unrelated chemistry sense, precipitation also refers to a solid forming and settling out of a liquid solution.

In chemistry, precipitation refers to the process of a solid forming and settling out of a liquid solution, producing what is called a precipitate. This is a distinct meaning from the weather sense of rain, snow, or hail falling from the sky.