What does precipitate mean?
Word: Precipitate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Precipitate means to make something, usually something bad, happen suddenly or sooner than expected. As an adjective it means done too quickly, without enough thought; in chemistry, a precipitate is a solid that separates out of a liquid.
Synonyms: trigger, hasten, spark off, bring on
Antonyms: delay, prevent
Word origin: From a Latin verb meaning 'to throw down headlong', from the word for 'headfirst'.
How do you spell precipitate?
Syllables: pre - cip - i - tate
Tricky part: The s sound near the start is spelt c, so students write presipitate.
Watch out for: presipitate, precepitate
Memory tip: The c that says s here is the same soft c you hear in city and cinema.
Precipitate in a sentence
Example 1: The sudden rise in onion prices precipitated a protest in the market.
Example 2: Do not take a precipitate decision; sleep on it tonight.
Example 3: A white precipitate formed at the bottom of the test tube.
Fun Fact
When you breathe out through a straw into clear lime water, it turns milky: the cloudiness is a precipitate of chalk, calcium carbonate.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Choose the correct word for the blank:
When two clear solutions are mixed and an insoluble solid forms and settles out, that solid is called a ___.
a) catalyst
b) solvent
c) precipitate
d) vapour
Show answer
c) precipitate. In chemistry, the solid that comes out of a solution is a precipitate.
Spellacadabra
Choose the option in which the following letters will fit in the given order: e, i, i
a) f_c_l_tate
b) m_d_t_te
c) r_s_sc_tate
d) pr_c_p_tate
Show answer
d) pr_c_p_tate. Precipitate takes e, i, i; facilitate needs a, i, i, meditate e, i, a and resuscitate e, u, i.
Word Twins
Read the sentences and choose the correct option:
1. The path down to the river was so precipitous that we held on to the railing. 2. Cutting off the water supply could precipitate a crisis in the hostel.
a) only 2
b) both
c) only 1
d) neither
Show answer
b) both. Precipitous means very steep, and to precipitate a crisis is to bring it on suddenly, so both sentences are right.
Spell Probe
Find the misspelt word in the sentence and choose its meaning:
The surprise announcement of a long weekend seemed to precipitait a rush to the railway station, as everyone hurried to book tickets home.
a) printed cards that let you travel
b) a place where trains stop for passengers
c) a public statement that gives news
d) to bring an event on quickly, without warning
Show answer
d) to bring an event on quickly, without warning. Precipitait should end in ate; to precipitate is to bring something on suddenly.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which event is most likely to precipitate a traffic jam?
a) a holiday with empty streets
b) a lorry breaking down at a busy crossing
c) a newly widened road
d) a quiet Sunday morning
Show answer
b) a lorry breaking down at a busy crossing
2. What would you tell a friend who is about to make a precipitate choice?
a) Decide even faster.
b) Take time to think it over.
c) Ask nobody's opinion.
d) Choose the first option you see.
Show answer
b) Take time to think it over.
