precipitation
n. uncountablen. water that falls from the sky to the ground. This includes rain, snow, sleet, and hail.
n. any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground. In a chemical context, refers to the process of a substance separating from a solution as a solid.
The weather forecast predicts heavy precipitation for tomorrow morning.
The region receives very little annual precipitation, making it difficult for most crops to survive without irrigation.
Meteorologists track precipitation patterns to predict potential flooding, as even a slight increase in rainfall can overwhelm local drainage systems during the spring thaw.
From Middle French précipitation, from Latin praecipitātiō, praecipitātiōnem. By surface analysis, precipitate + -ion.
Uncountable when referring to weather or chemical processes in general; can be countable when referring to specific types or instances in technical reports.