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Added 9 October 2026

precipitate

/pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/ verb

In Latin: praecipitātum Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about precipitate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To make something happen suddenly and quickly.
to precipitate a journey, or a conflict
To throw an object or person from a great height.
To send violently into a certain state or condition.
we were precipitated into a conflict

adjective

headlong; falling steeply or vertically.
Very steep; precipitous.
With a hasty impulse; hurried; headstrong.

noun

A product resulting from a process, event, or course of action.
A solid that exits the liquid phase of a solution.

Origin

From Latin praecipitātus, perfect passive participle of praecipitō (“throw down, hurl down, throw headlong”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from praeceps (“head foremost, headlong”) (praecipit- in its oblique stem), from prae (“before”) + -ceps (“headed”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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