Meaning & use
supernatant
Last updated
Floating or lying above a layer of sediment, especially describing the clear liquid left after a mixture has settled or been centrifuged.
See it in a sentence
The lab technician carefully pipetted off the supernatant, leaving the pellet undisturbed.
After the mixture settled overnight, a clear supernatant liquid formed on top.
A note on using this word
Frequently used as a noun as well as an adjective in laboratory settings ("discard the supernatant"), referring to the liquid layer that remains above solid material.
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