Supernatant

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Supernatant \Su`per*na"tant\, a. [L. supernatanus, p. pr. of
     supernatare to swim above; super above + natare to swim.]
     Swimming above; floating on the surface; as, oil supernatant
     on water.
     [1913 Webster]
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  supernatant
       adj : of a liquid; floating on the surface above a sediment or
             precipitate; "the supernatant fat was skimmed off"
       n : a liquid lying above a sediment (floating on the surface)