sediment

Where does the word "sediment" come from? It comes from Latin sedere, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Sediment’s story begins in Latin: sedere meant “to sit, to settle.” The root of 'sedentary', 'session' and 'president'. Within Latin, it grew into sedimentum by ancient. A settling, matter that sinks to the bottom, from sedere. It reached English by 1500s as sediment. Settled as the English word for matter that settles at the bottom of a liquid. Today, sediment means solid matter that settles at the bottom of a liquid, or accumulates on the ground.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient sedere "to sit, to settle", the root of 'sedentary', 'session' and 'president'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient sedimentum "a settling, matter that sinks to the bottom", a settling, matter that sinks to the bottom, from sedere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s sediment "matter that settles at the bottom of a liquid", settled as the English word for matter that settles at the bottom of a liquid.