Definition of "supernatant" []

• Floating on the surface. (adjective)
• The clear fluid above a sediment or precipitate. (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.

• "The cell culture supernatant was regularly tested for reverse transcriptase activity."
• "Following 5-10 min at 90°C, the hemoglobin in crude Fraction I was "cooked" and precipitated like mud, and the activity remained soluble in the supernatant."
• "Depending on the filter design, flow rates may have to be adjusted accordingly or the layer of supernatant water on the filter will get too high."