adj. 1. Rushing or falling headlong. 2. Acting with or marked by impulsiveness in thought or action; rash. See Usage Note at precipitate. 3. Abrupt or unexpected; sudden. n. Chemistry A substance that causes a precipitate to form when it is added to a solution. [Latin praecipitāns, praecipitant-, present participle of praecipitāre, to throw headlong; see PRECIPITATE.] pre·cipi·tant·ly adv. |
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