Sediment is the materialSubstance or matter something is made of. that settlesMoves down and comes to rest at the bottom. out of water, air, or another natural process and builds up over time. It can also be used as a verb for the process of depositingPutting or leaving something in a particular place gradually. or settling in this way.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-09. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈsɛdəmənt/
Easy pronunciation: SED-uh-ment (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Noun meaning matter deposited by a natural process.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-09. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Sediment Meaning
small pieces of material that settle at the bottom of a liquid or build up naturally over time
Part of speech: noun
Definition: matter that has been deposited by some natural process
Example: The river left a layer of sediment along the banks after the flood.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- deposit — Can work in some scientific contexts, but it is broader and less exact than sediment.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-09. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Sediment
Meaning 2
to deposit material in sediment form
Part of speech: verb
Definition: deposit as a sediment
Example: The floodwaters sedimented the mud in the low-lying fields.
Meaning 3
to settle and form sediment
Part of speech: verb
Definition: settle as sediment
Example: The particles sedimented to the bottom of the tank.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-09. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Sediment Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- deposit
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-09. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse sediment with sedimentary. Sediment is the material itself, while sedimentary is an adjective describing rocks or layers formed from sediment.
- As a verb, sediment is specialized and much less common than the noun form.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-09. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does sediment mean in simple English?
Sediment is material like sand, mud, or tiny particles that settles out of water or another natural process.
What is the synonym of sediment?
A close synonym in some contexts is deposit, but it is not a perfect match for every use of sediment.
Is sediment usually a noun or a verb?
It is most commonly a noun. It can also be used as a verb in scientific or technical contexts.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-09. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.