effluent

[ ef-loo-uhnt ]

/ ˈɛf lu ənt /

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See synonyms for effluent on Thesaurus.com

adjective

flowing out or forth.

noun

something that flows out or forth; outflow; effluence.

a stream flowing out of a lake, reservoir, etc.

sewage that has been treated in a septic tank or sewage treatment plant.

sewage or other liquid waste that is discharged into a body of water, etc.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of effluent

1720–30; <Latin effluent- (stem of effluēns flowing out, present participle of effluere), equivalent to ef-ef- + flu- flow + -ent--ent

OTHER WORDS FROM effluent

su·per·ef·flu·ent, adjective

Words nearby effluent

effleurage, effloresce, efflorescence, efflorescent, effluence, effluent, effluvium, efflux, effort, effort bargain, effortful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use effluent in a sentence

During the dry season, the filtration side is filled with partially cleaned effluent from a sewage treatment plant.
The architect making friends with flooding|Erica Gies|December 21, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Heavy rainfall would seal up the soil until effluent had nowhere to go but up onto lawns or back into homes.
Battling America’s ‘dirty secret’|Sarah Kaplan|December 17, 2020|Washington Post
It says its plan could be done for way cheaper – $80 million all in – and could capture 80 percent of the effluent before it heads to the ocean.
Morning Report: Turning Border Sewage Into Local Water|Voice of San Diego|November 20, 2020|Voice of San Diego
This wouldn’t provide nearly as much water, but the water it would provide could still be cheaper than water we currently import from the Colorado River, and it could prevent some untreated effluent from flowing into the Pacific, Tetzlaff said.
Morning Report: Turning Border Sewage Into Local Water|Voice of San Diego|November 20, 2020|Voice of San Diego

Only seven percent of the world’s wastewater is fully treated to remove nitrogen, and when the urine-tinged effluent is released into water bodies it acts as a pollutant, causing algal blooms and fish die-offs.
Your pee could be the golden ticket to a greener world|Ula Chrobak|November 19, 2020|Popular-Science
Yet overall the media absolutely adores cruise-ship stories, especially if they can be connected to effluent.
In Defense of Cruises: Ignore the Carnival Sewage Disaster|Andrew Roberts|February 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
No sludge is left, everything being turned into the harmless effluent.
Marvels of Scientific Invention|Thomas W. Corbin
Namely, it is an attempt to exhibit apparent nature as an effluent from the mind because of causal nature.
The Concept of Nature|Alfred North Whitehead
The meeting point of these two natures is the mind, the causal nature being influent and the apparent nature being effluent.
The Concept of Nature|Alfred North Whitehead
The effluent is fit for all the varied uses of a dye works, and is stated to be perfectly capable of sustaining fish life.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 787, January 31, 1891|Various
The cuttle is the only animal that I know of that would cause this by the effluent current from its "syphon tube."
Sea Monsters Unmasked and Sea Fables Explained|Henry Lee

British Dictionary definitions for effluent

effluent

/ (ˈɛflʊənt) /

noun

liquid discharged as waste, as from an industrial plant or sewage works

radioactive waste released from a nuclear power station

a stream that flows out of another body of water

something that flows out or forth

adjective

flowing out or forth

Word Origin for effluent

C18: from Latin effluere to run forth, from fluere to flow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for effluent

effluent

[ ĕf′lōō-ənt ]

Adjective

Flowing out or forth.

Noun

A stream flowing out of a body of water.

An outflow or discharge of liquid waste, as from a sewage system, factory, or nuclear plant.

effluent

Origin of effluent

OTHER WORDS FROM effluent

Words nearby effluent

Words related to effluent

How to use effluent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for effluent

Word Origin for effluent

Scientific definitions for effluent