noun / adjective
effluent
EF-loo-unt/ˈefluənt/
Flowing out from a source.
The pipe's effluent stream carries murky waste from the factory into the channel.
Etymology
“Out” and “flow” give the original image of something flowing out. The noun first meant whatever flows out, then acquired the specific sense of liquid waste discharged from an industrial or sewage source.
In context
this process ensures that no liquid effluent is released into the environment
More examples
- Untreated effluent can pollute nearby streams.
- A sensor measures the temperature of effluent water.
- The factory reduces the amount of effluent it produces.
Forms
effluent · effluents
effluence noun — The process of flowing outward.
Similar words
- wastewater
- Names used water, whether or not it has been discharged.
- discharge
- Covers any released substance, not just liquid waste.
- outflow
- Emphasizes outward movement or volume rather than waste content.