English Reference
noun

deposition

n.
US /ˌdɛpəˈzɪʃən/ UK /dˌɛpəsˈɪʃən/ de·po·si·tion UK spelling deposition's, deposition's

  1. 01 C1 Advanced FormalTechnical Law

    a formal statement that someone makes to be used in a court of law, usually written down or recorded before the trial starts.

    the process of taking sworn testimony out of court, or the resulting written record of that testimony.

    Simple

    The lawyer spent the afternoon reading the witness's deposition to look for mistakes.

    In context

    During her deposition, the executive was questioned for six hours regarding her knowledge of the company's offshore accounts.

    Usage

    Often used with the verbs 'give', 'take', or 'read'.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalAcademic

    the act of removing someone powerful, like a king or a president, from their job or position.

    the sudden or formal removal of a person from a position of high office or power.

    Simple

    The deposition of the king led to a long period of peace in the country.

    In context

    The sudden deposition of the prime minister by the military council sent shockwaves through the international community.

    removaloverthrowdethronement
  3. 03 C1 Advanced TechnicalAcademic Science

    the natural process where layers of substance, like sand, mud, or chemicals, build up on a surface over time.

    the act of depositing material by natural or chemical processes, or the layer of material that results from this process.

    Simple

    The deposition of salt on the car's metal frame caused it to rust quickly.

    In context

    Geologists studied the river delta to understand the rate of sediment deposition over the last century.

    accumulationbuild upsedimentation
  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    the process where a gas turns directly into a solid without becoming a liquid first, like when frost forms on a window.

    the phase transition in which gas transforms into solid without passing through the liquid phase.

    Simple

    In very cold weather, water vapor turns into ice through deposition.

    In context

    The experiment demonstrated deposition by cooling iodine vapor until it formed dark crystals on the glass surface.

    desublimation
    sublimation
  5. 05 C2 Proficiency FormalLiterary Religion

    the scene in Christian art showing Jesus being taken down from the cross.

    the act of removing Christ from the cross, or a representation of this event in art.

    Simple

    The museum has a famous painting of the Deposition by a Flemish artist.

    In context

    The altarpiece depicts the Deposition with striking emotional intensity, focusing on the grief of the surrounding figures.

    Teacher's tip

    When referring to the specific biblical event or a famous artwork of it, the word is usually capitalized as 'the Deposition'.

This can increase the deposition rate (how much of the filler metal is added) while reducing the amount of energy needed from the laser.

ScienceDaily· 4 Aug 2026

The researchers produced the material using magnetron sputtering deposition, a process that applies a thin film to a surface.

ScienceDaily· 31 Jul 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated