sediment
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.solid material, such as sand or mud, that sinks to the bottom of a liquid.
n.particulate matter that precipitates from a suspension and settles at the base of a liquid body.
Simple“There was a thick layer of sediment at the bottom of the old wine bottle.”
In context“The laboratory analysis revealed that the sediment contained high levels of heavy metals, suggesting recent industrial contamination upstream.”
UsageUncountable when referring to the substance generally; countable when referring to specific layers or types.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.sand, stones, and mud carried by water or wind that eventually forms new land or rock.
n.naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice.
Simple“The river carries sediment from the mountains down to the sea.”
In context“Over millions of years, the accumulation of river sediment in the delta created a vast, fertile plain suitable for intensive agriculture.”
UsageOften used in the context of erosion and rock formation.
Synonymsalluviumdeposit - 03 C1 Advanced
v.to sink to the bottom of a liquid and form a solid layer.
v.to deposit or be deposited as a solid residue from a liquid suspension.
Simple“The fine dust will eventually sediment if you leave the water still for a few hours.”
In context“The mixture was left in the tank to sediment overnight before the clear liquid was siphoned off for the next stage of the process.”
UsageCan be used transitively (to sediment something) or intransitively (to sediment).
Synonyms
Usage sediment core · sediment cores
“Ancient soils gave way to coarser river deposits, suggesting that the loss of canopy altered how water and sediment moved through the basin.”
“Another 400 gigatonnes are stored in ocean sediments and river deltas.”
From Middle French sédiment, from Latin sedimentum < sedeō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.