Precipitate
/prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/
verbadjectivenounC1
Definition
As a verb, "precipitate" means to make an event happen suddenly or earlier than expected, often without planning. As an adjective, it describes actions that are done too fast or without careful thinking. As a noun, in science, it means a solid substance that forms from a liquid during a chemical reaction.
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See It in Action
To cause something to happen quickly or suddenly (verb)
- •The announcement precipitated a lot of confusion among the workers.
- •His angry words precipitated the argument.
- •The new law precipitated changes in the education system.
Done too quickly or without enough thought (adjective)
- •It was a precipitate decision that caused problems later.
- •She made a precipitate move without checking the facts.
A solid that forms from a liquid in chemistry (noun)
- •The reaction produced a white precipitate at the bottom of the test tube.
- •Chemists studied the precipitate to understand the compound.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "precipitate" like "hurry" (A1 word), but with the idea that something happens very fast and sometimes unexpectedly or without preparation.
- ✓Picture a sudden rainstorm that comes quickly, without warning—this is like an event precipitating.
- ✓It's the feeling when you make a quick decision and later wish you had thought more.
- ✓Sounds like "pre-SIP-it-ate" → imagine someone quickly sipping (drinking) their drink too fast and spilling it suddenly.
- ✓In chemistry class, think of tiny solid bits appearing suddenly in a clear liquid—like magic crystals forming.
- ✓NOT like "wait" (slow and careful); precipitate means things happen quickly and suddenly.
- ✓NOT like "plan" (careful and slow); precipitate can mean acting without full thought.
- ✓NOT like "drip" (slow falling drops); precipitate as a noun is solid bits forming suddenly in liquid.
Try Other Words
- •Cause: to make something happen (Use when focusing on the reason something happens)
- •Rush: to do something quickly (Use when focusing on acting too fast, especially without care)
- •Trigger: to start an event suddenly (Use when emphasizing the start of an event)
- •Hasty: done quickly without care (Use as an adjective meaning too quick and careless)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "pre-" means before or early
- •Root: "cipit" from Latin "caput" meaning head or top, related to falling or rushing down
- •Suffix: "-ate" forms verbs or adjectives
- •Etymology: From Latin "praecipitare," meaning to throw down or cause to fall quickly
- •Historical development: Originally meant to throw or fall down quickly; later used for causing events to happen suddenly
- •Modern usage: Used in science for solid formation and in everyday language for sudden causes or quick actions
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when a precipitate decision caused problems? How could it have been handled differently?
•How does understanding the word "precipitate" help you describe sudden events or quick actions in your own language?
Fill in the blanks
1.The sudden announcement precipitate ___ a lot of confusion among the team members.
2.Her precipitate decision showed that she did not ___ all the facts carefully.
3.Unlike a slow and careful choice, a precipitate action is often ___ and without thought.
4.In chemistry, when a solid forms from a liquid, it is called a precipitate ___.
5.The angry words precipitate ___ the argument before anyone could stop it.
6.You should avoid making precipitate decisions when the situation is ___.
7.The reaction in the test tube produced a white precipitate that settled ___ the liquid.