D
Dicread
HomeDictionaryDdeposition

deposition

[C/U] Both

This term operates across three distinct domains: geology, law, and politics. In scientific contexts, it describes a slow, additive process of accumulation, often evoking images of sedimentation or crystal growth. In legal and political spheres, the word shifts toward the idea of removal or recording. The legal sense is a procedural tool for discovery, while the political sense is a decisive, often violent or forced, act of stripping authority. The common thread is the act of placing something down, whether it be a physical particle, a verbal statement, or a crown.

Countable when referring to a specific legal transcript or a political removal. Uncountable when referring to the geological process of sediment settling.

Meanings

Noun
[something]

The act of depositing something, especially a substance, in a layer.

"The deposition of silt at the river delta creates new land."

Noun
[someone]

A formal, out-of-court oral testimony given under oath and recorded for use in a legal case.

"The attorney spent three hours taking the witness's deposition."

Noun
[something]

The action of removing someone from a position of power, especially a monarch.

"The deposition of the king led to a period of civil unrest."

Related Words

Last Updated: May 31, 2026Report an Error