sedimentary
adjective
sed·i·men·ta·ry
| \ ˌse-də-ˈmen-tə-rē
, -ˈmen-trē\
, -ˈmen-trē\
Definition of sedimentary
1
: of, relating to, or containing sediment
sedimentary deposits
2
: formed by or from deposits of sediment
sedimentary rock
Examples of sedimentary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Only the most serious climbers would consider ascending its east face, a sheer 3,000-foot wall of sedimentary rock marbled with an intricate network of snow and ice. — Nick Heil, Outside Online, "The Tragedy on Howse Peak," 28 Aug. 2019 In addition to numerous methane hydrate deposits, the Gulf Coast has large pools of hot, salty brine in sedimentary rock under the coastline. — Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, "Climate Solution: Use Carbon Dioxide to Generate Electricity," 17 July 2019 The paleosols may even preserve sedimentary DNA shed from ancient organisms. — Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, "Rising Seas Swallowed Countless Archaeological Sites. Scientists Want Them Back," 20 May 2019 Instead, researchers have tried to probe the past by looking at sedimentary proxies: iron, carbon or sulfur compounds in geological strata with properties that can be measured and put into models to infer ancient oxygen levels. — Quanta Magazine, "Rapid Oxygen Changes Fueled an Explosion in Ancient Animal Diversity," 9 May 2019 Moganite, a crystal of silicon dioxide similar to quartz, is known to form on Earth in specific circumstances in sedimentary settings from alkaline fluids. — Tereza Pultarova, Scientific American, "Mineral Found in Lunar Meteorite Hints at Hidden Moon Water," 3 May 2018 The exterior is largely composed of carrstone, a sedimentary sandstone conglomerate often used in and around Norfolk. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Everything You Need to Know About St Mary Magdalene, the Church the Royal Family Visits on Christmas," 22 Dec. 2018 Forty percent of the area is home to volcanic and sedimentary rocks that formed over 3 billion years ago, according to UNESCO, and are still preserved today. — Condé Nast Traveler, "The 19 Newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites," 10 July 2018 Over the eons, the Medusae Fossae Formation steadily eroded as winds swept over the soft red sedimentary rock. — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Nearly All the Dust on Mars Comes From One Rock Formation," 26 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sedimentary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for sedimentary
sedimentary
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of sedimentary
technical
: made from material that sinks to the bottom of a liquid : made from sediment
See the full definition for sedimentary in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sedimentary
adjective
sed·i·men·ta·ry
| \ ˌse-də-ˈmen-tə-rē
\
\
Kids Definition of sedimentary
: relating to or formed from sediment
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock.