What is "sedimentation rate"

n. the rate at which red blood cells settle out in a tube of blood under standardized conditions; a high rate usually indicates the presence of inflammation [syn: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ESR, sed rate]

Sedimentation rate may refer to:

• Sedimentation rate of particles in a liquid, described by Stokes' law
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, a medical test for inflammation
• the rate at which sediment is deposited to form sedimentary rock