supernatant

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   lying or floating above a denser liquid, sediment, or precipitate

   The researcher carefully removed the supernatant liquid without disturbing the cells below.

2. 2
   noun

   the clear liquid remaining above material that has settled or been separated by centrifugation

   After centrifugation, the enzyme was measured in the supernatant.

From Latin supernatans, the present participle of supernatare, 'to swim above,' combining super, 'above,' with natare, 'to swim.'

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