I. ˈsilt noun
Etymology: Middle English cylte, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect sylt beach flooded at high tide; akin to Old High German sulza salt marsh, Old English sealt salt
Date: 15th century
1. : loose sedimentary material with rock particles usually 1/20 millimeter or less in diameter ; also : soil containing 80 percent or more of such silt and less than 12 percent of clay
2. : a deposit of sediment (as by a river)
• silty ˈsil-tē adjective
II. verb
Date: 1799
intransitive verb
: to become choked or obstructed with silt — often used with up
the channel silt ed up
transitive verb
: to choke, fill, cover, or obstruct with silt or mud
the beaver had silt ed the creek — Hugh Fosburgh
• sil·ta·tion sil-ˈtā-shən noun