1. Insoluble material that tends to sink to the bottom of a liquid, as in hypostasis. SYN: sedimentum. 2. To cause or effect the formation of a s. or deposit, as in the case of centrifugation or ultracentrifugation. SYN: sedimentate. [L. sedimentum, a settling, fr. sedeo, to sit, settle down]
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sed·i·ment 'sed-ə-mənt n the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid
sed·i·ment -.ment vt to deposit as sediment <the synaptosomes were \sedimented by centrifugation> vi
1) to settle to the bottom in a liquid <let the red blood cells \sediment for 30 minutes>
2) to deposit sediment
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sed·i·ment (sedґĭ-mənt) [L. sedēre to settle] a precipitate, especially one that is formed spontaneously.Medical dictionary. 2011.