confluence

noun

con·​flu·​ence ˈkän-ˌflü-ən(t)s  kən-ˈflü- 

1

: a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point

At the confluence of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures, Santa Fe is the symbolic heart of the Southwest.

—Jeffrey Steingarten

A hip urban confluence of tasting rooms, galleries, and surfboard designers, it's a place where wine, art and beach culture coalesce.

—Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Every once in a while in pop music there is a magical confluence: the right performers doing the right music with the right support.

—Ralph Novak

Italian influences have marked not only the style of architecture in Passau but also the way of life. Then, of course, Eastern Europe is next door. There are many confluences, it seems.

—N. Scott Momaday

2

a

: the flowing together of two or more streams

A complex lacework of waterways formed by the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, the delta is the state's major water source …

—Robert B. Gunnison

Confluences are a basic building block of river networks on all scales.

—Chris Paola

b

: the place of meeting of two streams

… quaint Carbondale is set at the confluence of the Crystal and Roaring Fork Rivers.

—National Geographic

c

: the stream or body formed by the junction of two or more streams : a combined flood

… and eventually chose, disastrously, the only place in Assam where it was impossible for tea to thrive, being regularly drowned by the confluence of two huge rivers, a more suitable terrain for rice.

—Christian Lamb

3

or confluency

kən-ˈflü-ən(t)-sē 

cell biology : the degree of substrate coverage that is exhibited by proliferating, adherent cells cultured in a laboratory vessel (such as a petri dish or flask)

At days 12-14, cell confluence reached 80%.

—Runguang Li et al.

The measurement of cell confluency is used to determine the growth phase of cells …

—Mee Foong et al.

also : complete coverage of a culture substrate by proliferating, adherent cells

When the cells reach confluence, they form aggregates and can be serially cultured.

—C. A. B. Jahoda et al.

Replicate dishes of pooled cells were grown to confluency and induced with Newcastle disease virus …

—Hermann Ragg and Charles Weissmann

Did you know?

The joining of rivers—as at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers flow together spectacularly—was the original meaning of confluence, and in its later meanings we still hear a strong echo of the physical merging of waters. So today we can speak of a confluence of events, a confluence of interests, a confluence of cultures, and so on, from which something important often emerges.

Synonyms

• conjunction
• convergence
• convergency
• meeting

Examples of confluence in a Sentence

the Mississippi River's confluence with the Missouri River

a happy confluence of beautiful weather and spectacular scenery during our vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, the tax and gun cases are moving ahead as part of an unprecedented confluence of political and legal drama: As the November election draws closer, the Justice Department is actively prosecuting both the Democratic president’s son and the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump. —Stefanie Dazio and Lindsay Whitehurst, Quartz, 27 Mar. 2024

Its headwaters are at the confluence of Knight Creek and Trout Creek. —Trilce Estrada Olvera, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024

For Coney Island guests, the cabin sits at the confluence of the New and Greenbrier rivers — the perfect spot to splash along one of the country's oldest waterways. —Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2024

Speaking of dinner, meals at Great Bear are served at that rare confluence of utter relaxation and fine dining. —John Briley, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024

Bridging Impact and Financial Performance Addressing the confluence of impact success and financial returns, Natasha Franks advocates for a holistic view where the two are inextricably linked. —Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

The ’90s saw the confluence of two forces that hindered many women constructors: the evaporation of their free time, which had been on the decline as more and more women entered the workforce starting in the ’70s, and the advent of now-ubiquitous crossword-constructing software. —Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024

The last time that China was caught in such a painful confluence was after the June 4, 1989, crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. —Chris Buckley, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024

The former ranch sits at the confluence of West Clear Creek and the Verde River. —Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see confluent entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

confluence

noun

con·​flu·​ence ˈkän-ˌflü-ən(t)s  kən-ˈflü- 

1

: a coming together to one place

2

: a flowing together or place of meeting especially of streams