pre·cip·i·tant I. \-nt\adjective Etymology: French précipitant, from Latin praecipitant-, praecipitans, present participle of praecipitare : precipitate < steer a middle course between chronic indecision and precipitant judgment — A.S.Eddington > • pre·cip·i·tant·lyadverb • pre·cip·i·tant·nessnoun-es II. noun (-s) : something causing precipitation; specifically: an agent that causes the formation of a precipitate