precipitate

/pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/

//pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"precipitate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“precipitate” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,107. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,107
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make something happen suddenly and quickly.

Key facts for precipitate
PropertyValue
Headwordprecipitate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#38,107
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “precipitate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). precipitate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around precipitate (IPA /pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #38,107 among 46,516 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for precipitate, with forms such as "percipitate", "pprecipitate", and "prceipitate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin praecipitātus, perfect passive participle of praecipitō (“throw down, hurl down, throw headlong”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from praeceps (“head foremost, headlong”) (praecipit- in its oblique stem), from prae (“before”) + -ceps … The correct English form is precipitate, spelled P-R-E-C-I-P-I-T-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make something happen suddenly and quickly.
  2. 2
    To throw an object or person from a great height.
  3. 3
    To send violently into a certain state or condition.
  4. 4
    (chemistry) To come out of a liquid solution into solid form.
  5. 5
    (chemistry) To separate a substance out of a liquid solution into solid form.
  6. 6
    To have water in the air fall to the ground, for example as rain, snow, sleet, or hail; be deposited as condensed droplets.
  7. 7
    To cause (water in the air) to condense or fall to the ground.
  8. 8
    To fall headlong.
  9. 9
    To act too hastily; to be precipitous.

Etymology

From Latin praecipitātus, perfect passive participle of praecipitō (“throw down, hurl down, throw headlong”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from praeceps (“head foremost, headlong”) (praecipit- in its oblique stem), from prae (“before”) + -ceps (“headed”).

Synonyms

headlong

This word in other languages

arrojar(Español)précipiter(Français)vorantreiben(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • percipitate
  • pprecipitate
  • prceipitate
  • preccipitate
  • preciiptate
  • precipiatte
  • precipitaet
  • precipitatte
  • precipittae
  • precipittate
  • precippitate
  • preciptiate
  • precpiitate
  • preicpitate
  • prrecipitate
  • rpecipitate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of precipitate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

percipitate2pprecipitate1prceipitate2preccipitate1preciiptate2precipiatte2precipitaet2precipitatte1
Edit distance from "precipitate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "precipitate"?
"precipitate" is spelled P-R-E-C-I-P-I-T-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/.
What does "precipitate" mean?
As a verb, "precipitate" means: To make something happen suddenly and quickly.
What are common misspellings of "precipitate"?
Common misspellings include "percipitate", "pprecipitate", "prceipitate", "preccipitate", "preciiptate". The correct spelling is "precipitate".
How do you pronounce "precipitate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "precipitate" is /pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "precipitate"?
From Latin praecipitātus, perfect passive participle of praecipitō (“throw down, hurl down, throw headlong”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from praeceps (“head foremost, headlong”) (praecipit- in its oblique stem), from prae (“before”... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “precipitate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-C-I-P-I-T-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list