river

noun

riv·​er ˈri-vər How to pronounce river (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: a natural stream of water of usually considerable volume
2
a
: something resembling a river
a river of lava
b
rivers plural : large or overwhelming quantities
drank rivers of coffee
Phrases
up the river
: to or in prison
was sent up the river

Examples of river in a Sentence

The raft is too small to use on this part of the river. Rivers of mud flowed down the hillside.
Recent Examples on the Web Assuming the river is running high and cold in the early season, rainbows are going to move to the banks to get out of the heaviest flows. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 14 Mar. 2024 Eszter Farkas, a local mindfulness meditation and yoga instructor, enjoys walking across the promenade, past the couples and families headed to bars and restaurants, all the way to the end, which, surrounded by the river, feels like a little island in itself. Alia Akkam, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 In the dry years becoming drier with climate change, less water flows through those rivers. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Brew Glitter - Green Edible Glitter for Beer $11.99 The river may not be green in your neck of the woods, but your beer can be with this Brew Glitter Green Edible Glitter. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024 One example of Huang’s hardship was his daily high school experience: The teenager had to cross a dangerous footbridge with missing planks over a river to get to his public school in Kentucky, where he was then relentlessly tormented. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 One weekend that summer, on a trip to one of his teammate’s river homes, Byrd was pulled under a friend’s boat and got caught in the propeller. Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 Low river levels, in turn, cause their own problems. Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 But, eventually, river levels dropped and the tub area was exposed again, officials said. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rivere, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *riparia, from Latin, feminine of riparius riparian, from ripa bank, shore; perhaps akin to Greek ereipein to tear down

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near river

Cite this Entry

“River.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/river. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

river

noun
riv·​er ˈriv-ər How to pronounce river (audio)
1
: a natural stream of water larger than a brook or creek
2
: a large stream or flow
the jet stream is a river of air
Etymology

Middle English rivere "river," from early French rivere (same meaning), derived from Latin riparius "related to or located on the bank of a river," from ripa "shore"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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