Precipitation

/prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun

Any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from clouds and reaches the ground.

The weather forecast predicts heavy precipitation this weekend.

The act of precipitating or the process of causing something to happen suddenly.

The sudden change in temperature resulted in the precipitation of ice on the roads.

The quantity of precipitation over a specific period, expressed as a depth of water.

The annual precipitation in the region averages around 40 inches.

From Latin 'praecipitatio', from 'praecipitare' meaning 'to cast down' or 'to throw down'.

heavy precipitation

A large amount of water falling within a given period of time.

precipitation forecast

A prediction of the expected amount of rain, snow, or other moisture.

total precipitation

The cumulative amount of moisture that falls over a specified time period.

evaporation

The process by which water turns into vapor.

condensation

The process by which water vapor becomes liquid.

humidity

The amount of water vapor present in the air.

A sudden rain

We got caught in the precipitation on our way home.

A downpour that occurs unexpectedly

That was quite a surprise precipitation!