supernatant
[soo-per-neyt-nt]
- floating above or on the surface.
Origin of supernatant
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for supernatant
Historical Examples
The supernatant liquor is the mordant; it has a density of 11° or 111⁄2° Baumé.
The supernatant part is then to be poured off into a similar vessel.
A little of the supernatant ether is now removed to a small glass capsule or watch-glass, and allowed to evaporate spontaneously.
It should then be separated by means of a glass funnel from the supernatant liquid, and again washed; this time with simple water.
The mass is then boiled, when the supernatant oil is removed by skimming.
The Commercial Products of the Vegetable KingdomP. L. Simmonds
supernatant
- floating on the surface or over something
- chem (of a liquid) lying above a sediment or settled precipitate
Word Origin
C17: from Latin supernatāre to float, from super- + natāre to swim
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for supernatant
adj.
1660s, from Latin supernatantem (nominative supernatans), present participle of supernatare "to swim above," from super (see super-) + natare "to swim," frequentative of nare "to swim" (see natatorium).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper