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
The Lower Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley are also drought-free with 30 to 90-day precipitation averaging above normal.
—
Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
March’s abnormally warm weather and lack of precipitation was largely the cause for the spring spike, Meyer said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 3 June 2025
There is also a slight chance, about 10% to 15%, of precipitation on Saturday afternoon in the San Gabriel Mountains.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025
High temperature, precipitation, and evaporation rates likely contribute to relatively high metal exceedance in southern China, India, the Middle East, Central America, and Central Africa.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitation
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Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
March’s abnormally warm weather and lack of precipitation was largely the cause for the spring spike, Meyer said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 3 June 2025
There is also a slight chance, about 10% to 15%, of precipitation on Saturday afternoon in the San Gabriel Mountains.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025
High temperature, precipitation, and evaporation rates likely contribute to relatively high metal exceedance in southern China, India, the Middle East, Central America, and Central Africa.
—David Bressan, Forbes.com, 28 May 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 9 Jun. 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
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