precipitation
pruh-SIP-uh-TAY-shun
/prɪˌsɪp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/
Any form of water—such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail—that falls from cloud clouds to the ground.
The formal umbrella term in meteorology encompassing liquid and solid water falling from the sky.
The story behind the word. Latin speakers used 'praecipitarium' to describe casting something headlong over a cliff. Alchemists and early meteorologists adopted the term because rain fell headlong from high clouds to the Earth. The term quickly became fixed in chemistry (solid settling out of liquid) and meteorology (water falling from air).
Word relationships
- rainfall: Rainfall specifies liquid water, whereas precipitation includes snow, sleet, and hail.
- evaporation: Evaporation is the process of water rising into vapor, the physical reverse of falling precipitation.
Commonly confused with
- precipitous: Precipitous means steep or done hastily, while precipitation refers to falling atmospheric moisture (or chemical settling).
Word family
- precipitate (verb): To cause moisture to condense and fall, or to cause an event to happen suddenly.
- precipitate (adjective): Done suddenly or without careful consideration.
Collocations
- annual precipitation
- heavy precipitation
- precipitation levels
- measurable precipitation
Example sentences
- "Weather models predict heavy precipitation in the form of freezing rain and sleet overnight." Meteorology bulletin
- "Annual precipitation across the coastal mountain range often exceeds three meters due to orographic lift." Climatology
Memory hook
PRE-CIP-itation = PER-CIP-itation of moisture falling HEADFIRST from sky. PRECIPITATION = Plunging rainfall, ice, and snow.
When not to use
Avoid in casual conversation when you can simply say 'rain' or 'snow'. Use precipitation for technical or summary contexts.
Fun facts
- The world record for the highest annual precipitation occurred in Mawsynram, India, reaching roughly 11,870 millimeters per year.
Explore more words
sleet, hailstorm, downpour, rainforest, precipitate, particulate
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