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Sediment

Geology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Loose particles of rock, mineral, or organic material deposited by natural processes. It may suggest accumulation, residue, or layered memory.

Detailed Definition
Sediment consists of particles carried by water, wind, ice, or gravity and later laid down in a new place. A poet may invoke sediment to describe the residue of experience: silts of speech, dust from old rooms, or grief settling at the bottom of the mind. Its accumulation creates records of changing conditions, so it can serve poems about history and aftermath. Sediment is humble material, yet over time it may harden into stone and preserve a world.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Sediment settled in the river bend, grain by grain, after the flood” uses the term precisely in a natural description; “Sediment of old arguments lay at the bottom of every conversation” makes deposited material a metaphor for resentment; A poet could write, “The lake kept sediment from each storm in its dark archive,” emphasizing accumulation over time; “In the jar, sediment formed a brown horizon beneath clear water” offers a concrete image for a poem about layers
Additional Notes
Sediment consists of particles carried and deposited by water, wind, ice, or gravity. Over time, layers may compact into sedimentary rock. In poetry, sediment can suggest residue left by experience, with each layer holding a different age, event, or voice.
Other Meanings of “Sediment”
Also Known As
Deposits Detritus
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