headwater

noun

head·​wa·​ter ˈhed-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce headwater (audio)
-ˌwä-
: the source of a stream
usually used in plural

Examples of headwater in a Sentence

the first exploration of the Missouri River from its mouth to its headwaters was made by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the early 1800s
Recent Examples on the Web MacAvoy said that the Anacostia’s headwaters are in Maryland, where District officials have no control over pollution. Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023 By contrast, a drop of rain falling at the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota travels only 1,500 feet to sea level at its mouth in Louisiana and has more than 2,000 leisurely miles to get there. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2024 Jay’s Idaho favorites Most remote place he’s visited: The headwaters of the Snake River, some 60 miles on horseback into the backcountry of Yellowstone and the Tetons. Bill Manny, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 The Iron Gate Dam, at 173 feet tall, is the smallest of the dams remaining on the Klamath River, which flows 260 miles from its headwaters in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Ocean in Crescent City, California. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024 Each spring, salmon migrate upstream from the ocean to the chilly headwaters of rivers to mate. Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 30 Dec. 2023 The river’s headwaters at Spring Lake are fed by 200 underwater artesian springs originating from the Edwards Aquifer, a 3,600-square-mile natural groundwater system that’s a crucial water source in south-central Texas, providing drinking water to more than two million people. Erin Donaghue, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Apr. 2023 To search for microplastics, the study’s authors collected samples from eight spots along Nash Run, an Anacostia tributary with headwaters in Prince George’s County that runs east through Northeast Washington. Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023 Regardless, the James Gang caused mayhem all over the remote Ozarks, including areas around Montauk State Park, where a massive spring forms the headwaters of the Current River. Mike Bezemek, Outside Online, 13 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'headwater.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of headwater was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near headwater

Cite this Entry

“Headwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headwater. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

headwater

noun
head·​wa·​ter -ˌwȯt-ər How to pronounce headwater (audio)
-ˌwät-
: the beginning and upper part of a stream
usually used in plural
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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