Definition of "floatation" [float•a•tion]

• Variant of flotation. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Water from the ore tanks, where the metals were separated through a process known as floatation, was drained outside the mill with a hose."
• "Students had the chance to learn about the 3D scanner and general archaeological methodology, including floatation, which is the separation of organic materials from soil, and the total station, an optical surveying instrument into which they entered the coordinates of their finds."
• "The board also wants changes such as floatation-vest designs that are easier to use and said that more types of emergency flotation equipment need to be stowed aboard commercial jets, even when the trip doesn't entail flying long distances over water."