Superjacent
[soo-pər-JEY-sənt]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 16th century
1.
(Technical) Lying over or above something else; overlying.
Examples of Superjacent in a sentence
"I spread a superjacent layer of topsoil in the garden to protect my seedlings."
"You can find the seasonal items on the superjacent shelf."
About Superjacent
“Superjacent” is a loanword from Latin, formed by joining the prefix “super-” (meaning “over”) with “jacere,” meaning “to lie.”
Did you Know?
The earth we stand on is not simply composed of soil. Encircling Earth’s crust is an appropriately named layer called “bedrock,” and superjacent to that is another layer called “parent rock.” But above these layers of rock are three more superjacent layers that make up what most people think of as "earth" or "ground." These include two types of soil: subsoil, which sits upon the rock layer, and topsoil, which sits above subsoil. Superjacent to all of these is what’s known as “humus,” or “the organic layer,” a dark dirt made up of decaying leaf litter and other decomposing matter, making it the most nutrient-rich part of all the soil layers.
