precipitation

Etymology

From Middle French précipitation, from Latin praecipitātiō, praecipitātiōnem.

noun

1. (meteorology) Any or all of the forms of water particles, whether liquid or solid, that fall from the upper atmosphere (e.g., rain, hail, snow or sleet). It is a major class of hydrometeor, but it is distinguished from cloud, fog, dew, rime, frost, etc., in that it must fall. It is distinguished from cloud and virga in that it must reach the ground.
   South Korea’s Ministry of Environment said in a news release that no major precipitation was observed after the cloud seeding operation. Audio (US) (file) 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
2. A hurried headlong fall.
3. (countable, uncountable, chemistry) A reaction that leads to the formation of a heavier solid in a lighter liquid; the precipitate so formed at the bottom of the container.
4. (figurative) Unwise or rash rapidity; sudden haste.
   […] had acted with some precipitation and had probably started out upon a wild-goose chase. 1933, Dorothy L. Sayers, Murder Must Advertise