silt

[ silt ]

noun

1. earthy matter, fine sand, or the like carried by moving or running water and deposited as a sediment.

verb (used without object)

1. to become filled or choked up with silt.

verb (used with object)

1. to fill or choke up with silt.

silt

/ sɪlt /

noun

1. a fine deposit of mud, clay, etc, esp one in a river or lake

verb

1. usually foll by up to fill or become filled with silt; choke

silt

/ sĭlt /

1. A sedimentary material consisting of grains or particles of disintegrated rock, smaller than sand and larger than clay. The diameter of the particles ranges from 0.0039 to 0.0625 mm. Silt is often found at the bottom of bodies of water where it accumulates slowly by settling through the water.

Derived Forms

• ˈsilty, adjective
• silˈtation, noun

Other Words From

• sil·tation noun
• silty adjective
• de·silt verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of silt¹

1400–50; late Middle English cylte gravel, perhaps originally salty deposit; compare Old English unsylt unsalted, unseasoned, sylting seasoning, syltan to salt, season, Norwegian sylt salty swamp, German Sülze salt marsh, brine

Word History and Origins

Origin of silt¹

C15: of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian, Danish sylt salt marsh; related to Old High German sulza salt marsh; see salt

Example Sentences

Sheres said the area has a highly plastic clay and silt material that require a different approach to construction.

From Washington Post

Madanhire says farming along the banks that way causes erosion and puts more silt and debris in the water for everyone downstream.

From MIT Technology Review

Manzini says migrants have overrun several local rivers, taxing water supplies and stirring up so much silt that the debris is obstructing three dams as well as many smaller streams in the area.

From MIT Technology Review

Over time, as the lake’s edge expanded and contracted with shifts in climate, it left behind distinct layers of clay, silt, and sand.

From Ars Technica

They know that the artificial lifelines from Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which have existed for just a geological blink of an eye, are filling with silt and approaching dead pool.

From Outside Online

The quality of water eventually becomes a concern, as reservoirs drop and salt and silt become more concentrated.

From The Daily Beast

The subdead were coming, walking out of the silt formed fog.

From The Daily Beast

The only question is whether the oil will escape through fractures in the well's steel casing into the surrounding silt and rock.

From The Daily Beast

The less its rate of fall and the greater the amount of silt it obtains from its tributaries, the more winding its course becomes.

From Project Gutenberg

The floor of the valley was silt, sand and gravel—they would find nothing there.

From Project Gutenberg

Its very rich silt gives the lands on its banks the green charm of rich crops and pleasant trees.

From Project Gutenberg

The sandy bed then becomes full from bank to bank, and the silt laden waters spill over into the cultivated lowlands beyond.

From Project Gutenberg

The coffee was brown as floodwater silt, heavy with sugar, and very hot; and the cups had no handles.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• residue
• sand