Main Entry:

sludge

Pronunciation:

\ˈsləj\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English slugge, perhaps alteration of slicche mud, slush; akin to Old High German slīh mire

Date:

15th century

1: mud, mire ; especially : a muddy deposit (as on a riverbed) : ooze2: a muddy or slushy mass, deposit, or sediment: as a: precipitated solid matter produced by water and sewage treatment processes b: muddy sediment in a steam boiler c: a precipitate or settling (as a mixture of impurities and acid) from a mineral oil 3: slush 5

— sludgy \ˈslə-jē\ adjective