Where does “precipitate” come from?

Precipitate comes from Latin praecipitatus, past participle of praecipito, derived from praeceps meaning headlong, from caput meaning head, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kauput-.

precipitate (English): To make something happen suddenly and quickly; To...

Definitions

  1. To make something happen suddenly and quickly; To...

Ancestry of “precipitate”, step by step

precipitate traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin praecipitatus

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpraecipitatuscast down; thrown headlong
2Latinpraecipitōto cast down; to throw headlong
3Latinpraecepshead first, headlong; steep, precipitous; hasty,...
4Latin-ceps-headed; -fold; -catcher
5Old Latin-cipes"third declension"; Alternative form of -ceps;...
6Proto-Italic-kaputis-headed
7Proto-Italickaputhead
8Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
9Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold

via New Latin praecipitatum

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1New Latinpraecipitatumnominative neuter singular of praecipitātus;...

Words derived from “precipitate

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap-Every word from Proto-Indo-European káputEvery word from Proto-Italic kaput
precipitate — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer