noun
silt
sihlt
Silt (noun) means Fine particles of soil or mud carried and deposited by moving water. Example: “Years of silt had built up at the mouth of the river.”
noun
1
Fine particles of soil or mud carried and deposited by moving water.
"Years of silt had built up at the mouth of the river."
verb
1
To become clogged or filled up with silt.
"They are city-dwellers, men whose lives pass in the shadows of buildings, whose lungs are silted with coalsmoke, and few will ever cross the sea."
— Sarah Moss, London, summer 1878 (2017)
"The harbor slowly silted up until boats could no longer reach the dock."
How to use silt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFine mud or sediment left behind by flowing water.
Common pairings
silt up
river silt
layer of silt
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like silt.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- silts
- Third person singular
- silts
- Past tense
- silted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Years of _____ had built up at the mouth of the river.
Etymology
From Middle English silte, possibly related to a verb meaning "to filter or strain," and to Germanic words for a salty marsh.
Synonyms
View more →
silt up
Rhymes for silt
See all rhymes for silt →Frequently asked questions
What does “silt” mean?
The word “silt” means fine particles of soil or mud carried and deposited by moving water. In plain terms, fine mud or sediment left behind by flowing water.
How do you pronounce “silt”?
“Silt” is pronounced sihlt (/sɪlt/ in IPA).
How do you use “silt” in a sentence?
Here is “silt” used in a sentence: “Years of silt had built up at the mouth of the river.”
What part of speech is “silt”?
Depending on how it is used, “silt” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “silt” come from?
The word “silt” comes from Middle English. From Middle English silte, possibly related to a verb meaning "to filter or strain," and to Germanic words for a salty marsh.
How many meanings does “silt” have?
“Silt” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: fine particles of soil or mud carried and deposited by moving water.
