effluent
Americanadjective
noun
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something that flows out or forth; outflow; effluence.
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a stream flowing out of a lake, reservoir, etc.
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sewage that has been treated in a septic tank or sewage treatment plant.
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sewage or other liquid waste that is discharged into a body of water, etc.
noun
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liquid discharged as waste, as from an industrial plant or sewage works
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radioactive waste released from a nuclear power station
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a stream that flows out of another body of water
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something that flows out or forth
adjective
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A stream flowing out of a body of water.
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An outflow or discharge of liquid waste, as from a sewage system, factory, or nuclear plant.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of effluent
1720–30; < Latin effluent- (stem of effluēns flowing out, present participle of effluere ), equivalent to ef- ef- + flu- flow + -ent- -ent
Explanation
If a local company is accused of dumping effluent into the water supply, then you'd better stock up on bottled water. Effluent is sewage or other waste that’s dumped into water. Effluent traces back to a Latin word meaning “flowing out,” and as an adjective the word can still be used in that sense. An effluent stream is one whose water is continually flowing out of the ground, from a spring or other source. But the noun form of effluent refers to waste of some kind that’s been mixed with water. If effluent is released, it can contaminate a water supply. Gross.
Vocabulary lists containing effluent
Big Science
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Enrique's Journey
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Trash
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These would use treated effluent to supply the volumes of water needed and minimise energy use.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2025
Pure Water Southern California is projected to cost $8 billion and produce up to 150 million gallons of drinking water daily by purifying treated effluent that is now discharged into the ocean.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025
The San Antonio River, famed for its dreamy riverwalk lined with restaurants, bars, and live music, is almost entirely composed of effluent.
From Slate ● May 26, 2025
In 1994, she successfully advocated for “zero discharge” agreements from Formosa and the aluminum manufacturer Alcoa to stop liquid effluent pollution.
From Salon ● Dec. 5, 2024
His invention, it turned out, could also cleanse noxious vapors and particulates from smelter effluent, coal particles from mine air, and much more.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
