# precipitant

> English word · Adjective · IPA /prɪˈsɪpɪt(ə)nt/

## Definitions
1. Inclined to make rapid decisions without due consideration; hasty, impulsive, rash.
2. Of a fall: straight downwards; headlong.
3. Acting, happening, or moving quickly; fast, rapid, swift; also, abrupt, sudden, unexpected.
4. That causes precipitation (“formation of a heavier solid in a lighter liquid as a result of a chemical reaction”).

## Etymology
The adjective is borrowed from Middle French précipitant, Old French precipitant (“acting hastily, hasty, rash; acting, happening, or moving rapidly; pressing”) (modern French précipitant), and from their etymon Late Latin praecipitans (“hasty, rash”), an adjective use of Latin praecipitāns, the present participle of praecipitō (“to cast down; to throw headlong”), from praeceps (“head first, headlong; (figurative) hasty, rash”) (from prae (“before; in front”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before; in front”)) + -ceps (suffix meaning ‘having a head with specified characteristics’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“a head”))).
The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/precipitant