ClimateAugust 16, 2026

decantation

DEK-an-TAY-shun

Definition

The process of separating a liquid from solid matter by allowing the solids to settle to the bottom and then pouring off the liquid.

Etymology

Derived from the French word 'décantation', which comes from the Medieval Latin 'decantare', meaning to pour off from the edge. It has been used in scientific and industrial contexts to describe fluid separation for centuries.

In the news

In the article, the company uses a decantation basin to extract water, highlighting the extreme measures taken to secure water supplies for irrigation during the severe drought.

Destroyed crops, riverbed cyclists and a ‘Rock of Starvation’: how drought has devastated the Danube

Read the full article ↗

The Guardian

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