sediment

noun

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sed·i·ment | \ ˈse-də-mənt

Definition of sediment

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid

2 : material deposited by water, wind, or glaciers

sediment

verb

sed·i·ment | \ ˈse-də-ˌment

sedimented; sedimenting; sediments

Definition of sediment (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to deposit as sediment

intransitive verb

1 : to settle to the bottom in a liquid

2 : to deposit sediment

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about sediment

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Examples of sediment in a Sentence

Noun There was a layer of sediment in the bottom of the tank. the sediment at the bottom of the river needs to be routinely dredged so that it doesn't interfere with barge traffic Verb the water flowing into the reservoir is sedimenting silt faster than was originally expected

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Vázquez’s announcement comes amid criticism of her administration for not dredging reservoirs, which would eliminate sediment and avoid excess loss of water. — Washington Post, "Worsening drought forces state of emergency in Puerto Rico," 29 June 2020 With the lower elevations that is the Klamath Mountains, the landscapes give rise to more sediment, trees and vegetation and terrestrial activity than the barren, alpine landscapes of the High Sierra. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Looking for summer solitude? Marble Mountain is the perfect retreat," 27 June 2020 PCBs are one of several chemical pollutants found in sediment at the Portland Harbor, a superfund site that runs from just north of the Broadway Bridge to the Columbia River slough. — oregonlive, "Portland part of $550 million settlement with Monsanto over environmental contamination lawsuit," 25 June 2020 According to the agency, sea lamprey first burrow under riverbed sediment and filter feed on detritus - which more or less means decomposed matter -- before making their way to the ocean and living parasitically on other organisms as juveniles. — Alec Snyder, CNN, "A 'vampire fish' is spawning in Vermont's waters. Experts say most of them are nothing to worry about," 25 June 2020 Those include wholesale removal of parts of the seafloor as well as sediment plumes. — Abby Smith, Washington Examiner, "Scientists claim deep-sea mining could forever harm 'pristine' ocean ecosystems," 25 June 2020 The crew collected 8,000 feet of sediment cores to find out more about the area, its history, and if in fact it should one day be considered earth’s eighth continent. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, "The Lost Continent of Zealandia Disappeared Millions of Years Ago — but These New Maps Show It in Stunning Detail," 24 June 2020 If a slurry of ash and sediment is thick enough, fish will suffocate in the water. — Erin Stone, azcentral, "As Bush Fire becomes one of largest in Arizona history, water and wildlife at risk," 22 June 2020 Before disinfecting murky water, decant it for an hour or so by letting the sediment settle to the bottom of a container. — Keith Mccafferty, Field & Stream, "The Ultimate Survival Guide to Finding and Purifying Water," 19 June 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The cores, presented here today at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, were captured at the farthest extent of the ash’s reach, recorded as wisps of tephra in finely sedimented, ancient mud uplifted near the ocean floor. — Paul Voosen, Science | AAAS, "Yellowstone’s massive volcano could erupt more frequently than scientists thought," 25 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sediment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.