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
Chance of precipitation is 40%. Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms.
—
Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 24 July 2025
Between 2017 and 2024, the number of days with at least 2 inches of precipitation was 6% higher than the 1986-2016 average and 37% higher than what scientists refer to as the baseline period of 1901-1960.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
Chance of precipitation is 20%. ☀️⛈️Saturday: A slight chance of thunderstorms, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 a.m. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 95.
—Katie Wiseman, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 July 2025
As temperatures around the world continue to rise, so have bursts of extreme precipitation.
—Erin Neil, New Yorker, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for precipitation
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Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 24 July 2025
Between 2017 and 2024, the number of days with at least 2 inches of precipitation was 6% higher than the 1986-2016 average and 37% higher than what scientists refer to as the baseline period of 1901-1960.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
Chance of precipitation is 20%. ☀️⛈️Saturday: A slight chance of thunderstorms, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 a.m. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 95.
—Katie Wiseman, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 July 2025
As temperatures around the world continue to rise, so have bursts of extreme precipitation.
—Erin Neil, New Yorker, 23 July 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 29 Jul. 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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