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sediment Definition

sedi·ment (sedə mənt)

noun

  1. matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid
  2. Geol. matter deposited by water or wind

Etymology: Fr sédiment < L sedimentum < sedere, to sit

sediment Related Forms
sed′i·men·tal (-ment'l) adjective
sediment Synonyms

sediment

n.

settlings, residue, lees, dregs, dross, grounds, solids, silt, powder, sand, alluvium, loess, grit, gritty matter, soot, deposit, debris, precipitate, trash.

sediment Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • overlie: This may provide a locally significant input of clay, sand and gravel derived from Eocene bedrock and overlying drift sediment.
  • suspend: However, the longer duration of the flood tidal stream causes net input of suspended sediments.
  • erode: These finds are now under threat as they become exposed due to the eroding sediments.
  • dredge: At present, the dredged sediments are disposed of outside the harbor, thus losing valuable mud from its ecosystem.

Converse of subject

  • infilled: Whilst some continue to exist as isolated small loughs, many have now been infilled by sediment washing off the surrounding drumlins.

Preposition: within

  • hollow: Whatever the stimulus for erosion and deposition, the sediments within these hollows typically contain an important record of local environmental change.

Adjective modifier

  • fine-grained: Transport and escape of fine-grained sediment from shelf areas.
  • coarse: By contrast, the annual yield of coarse sediment is considered to be less than 500m 3.
  • littoral: A wide range of littoral sediments occurs within the estuary.
  • estuarine: These conclusions are based on analysis of the carbonate content of offshore, beach and estuarine sediments.
  • sublittoral: Sublittoral sediments are predominantly medium sands with a low organic content.
  • intertidal: This information needs supplementary data, but suggests a possible storage volume of intertidal sediment of between 55 and 400 x 106m 3.

Modifies a noun

  • flux: These daily gaging stations provide the best information available on sediment flux in the Nation's rivers.
  • deposition: Tests were also carried out with small depths of sediment deposition.
  • accumulation: Sediment accumulation rates vary considerably through this period, with vey rapid sedimentation in the last 200 years.
  • entrainment: The study of sediment entrainment from rippled beds continues.

Noun used with modifier

  • seabed: However, some reworking of seabed sediments in the Solent is a probable auxiliary source.
  • deep-sea: This indicates that deep-sea sediments constitute a very important source of DON to the world ocean.
  • carbonate: Clare Britton has added carbonate sediments and weathering to the simple Earth system model to look even further into the future.
  • lake: Samples of pollen taken from cores bored from deep peat bogs or lake sediments are stratified, with the earliest part lying deepest.

Browse dictionary entries near sediment

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  10. sedan
  1. sedimentary
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  10. seductress