sediment

/ˈsɛdəmənt/
noun
  1. Solid material that settles at the bottom of a liquid, such as sand, dirt, or tiny rocks.
    • The wine had a small amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
    • Geologists study sediment to learn about Earth's history.
    • After the river flooded, a layer of sediment covered the fields.
verb
  1. To settle or cause to settle as sediment at the bottom of a liquid.
    • The treatment plant allows heavy particles to sediment before filtering the water.
    • Over time, the particles sedimented to form a thick layer of mud.
    • If you let the mixture stand, the sand will sediment out.
Synonyms