noun
sediment
SEHD-ih-muhnt
noun
1
Solid particles, such as sand or silt, that settle at the bottom of a liquid or body of water.
"Years of sediment had built up at the bottom of the lake."
"Leave the wine bottle standing so the sediment settles before pouring."
How to Use Sediment
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSmall particles that sink and collect at the bottom of water or another liquid.
Common pairings
sediment builds up
layer of sediment
river sediment
Word Forms
sedimented past tense, sediments plural, sediments singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “sediment”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Years of _____ had built up at the bottom of the lake.
Etymology
From Latin sedimentum, "a settling," from sedere, "to sit" — the particles have quite literally "sat down."