- precipitate
- 1. To cause a substance in solution to separate as a solid. 2. A solid separated out from a solution or suspension; a floc or clump, such as that resulting from the mixture of a specific antigen and its antibody. 3. Accumulation of inflammatory cells on the corneal endothelium in uveitis (keratic precipitates). [L. praecipito, pp. -atus, to cast headlong]- keratic precipitates inflammatory cells on the corneal endothelium. SYN: punctate keratitis, keratitis punctata.- mutton-fat keratic precipitates coalescent precipitates forming small plaques that gradually become more translucent.- pigmented keratic precipitates precipitates that occur in eyes with brown irides or after prolonged inflammation.- red p. SYN: mercuric oxide, red.- sweet p. SYN: calomel.
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1) to bring about esp. abruptly2 a) to cause to separate from solution or suspension1) to fall or come suddenly into some condition2) to separate from solution or suspensionpre·cip·i·tate pri-'sip-ət-ət, -ə-.tāt n a substance separated from a solution or suspension by chemical or physical change usu. as an insoluble amorphous or crystalline solid* * *
pre·cip·i·tate (pre-sipґĭ-tāt) [L. praecipitare to cast down] 1. to cause a substance in solution to settle down in solid particles. 2. a deposit made or substance thrown down by precipitation. 3. occurring with undue rapidity, as precipitate labor. 4. in immunology, the product of interaction between soluble macromolecular antigen and the homologous antibody, e.g., the antigen-antibody complex formed as a consequence of the reaction of pneumococcus capsular polysaccharide in solution with specific antiserum.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
