Word of the day
Monday, October 5, 2026
River
/ˈɹɪvə/
What it means
- noun
A large and often winding stream which drains a land mass, carrying water down from higher areas to a lower point, oftentimes ending in another body of water, such as an ocean or in an inland sea.
“Occasionally rivers overflow their banks and cause floods.”
- noun
Any large flow of a liquid in a single body.
“a river of blood”
- noun
The last card dealt in a hand.
Where it comes from
River comes from Old French riviere, which could mean the bank as well as the water. The French word is from Latin riparia, of the bank, from ripa, a bank. English has used river for the flowing water since the Middle Ages.
In a sentence
- We crossed the river.by CK, Tatoeba
- This river is contaminated.by CK, Tatoeba
- Is it a river?by timur_seber, Tatoeba
Quick check
What does river mean? Tap one.
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