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noun Uncommon

sediment

SEHD-ih-muhnt

Sediment (noun) means Solid particles, such as sand or silt, that settle at the bottom of a liquid or body of water. Example: “Years of sediment had built up at the bottom of the lake.”

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 notes

In 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

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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."

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for sediment

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Frequently asked questions

What does “sediment” mean?

The word “sediment” means solid particles, such as sand or silt, that settle at the bottom of a liquid or body of water. In plain terms, small particles that sink and collect at the bottom of water or another liquid.

How do you pronounce “sediment”?

“Sediment” is pronounced SEHD-ih-muhnt (/ˈsɛd.ɪ.mənt/ in IPA).

How do you use “sediment” in a sentence?

Here is “sediment” used in a sentence: “Years of sediment had built up at the bottom of the lake.”

What part of speech is “sediment”?

“Sediment” is a noun.

Where does the word “sediment” come from?

The word “sediment” comes from Latin. From Latin sedimentum, "a settling," from sedere, "to sit" — the particles have quite literally "sat down.".

Is “sediment” a common word?

“Sediment” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial