oxbow

noun

ox·​bow ˈäks-ˌbō How to pronounce oxbow (audio)
1
: a U-shaped frame forming a collar about an ox's neck and holding the yoke in place
2
: something (such as a bend in a river) resembling an oxbow
oxbow adjective

Illustration of oxbow

Illustration of oxbow
  • oxbow 1

Examples of oxbow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The two were on a big oxbow lake off the Ouachita River near his home. Outdoor Life, 3 Aug. 2023 In the 1990s, for example, one dolphin placed in an oxbow lake died after getting stuck in fishing gear that hadn’t been removed, according to the Natural History Museum in the UK. Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2023 The lobes of the waves get more pronounced, much like the river oxbow bends seen in the image above. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2019 The federal government provided seven kegs of black powder to local farmers who blew up the entrance of a river oxbow that had been developing for 70 years. Jonmaesha Beltran, The Arizona Republic, 15 Aug. 2022 The oxbow formed 4,000 acres of weeds and trees, according to a state proclamation honoring the area's 100-year anniversary. Jonmaesha Beltran, The Arizona Republic, 15 Aug. 2022 The river, including Lake Ferguson, which had formed between the Mississippi and the rebuilt town of Greenville when the Corps cut off an oxbow from the main channel in the 1930s. W. Hodding Carter, Outside Online, 29 June 2011 Just past the Butler campus, nestled in a triangular piece of land between an oxbow of the White River and the central canal, the town at first glance appears to be mostly trees. London Gibson, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Nov. 2020 An oxbow is a lake that forms when a section of a river is cut off, leaving a separate body of water. Deborah Martin, ExpressNews.com, 26 June 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oxbow.' 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

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oxbow was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near oxbow

Cite this Entry

“Oxbow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oxbow. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

oxbow

noun
ox·​bow -ˌbō How to pronounce oxbow (audio)
1
: a U-shaped collar worn by a draft ox
2
: something (as a bend in a river) resembling an oxbow
oxbow adjective
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