tributary

1 of 2

noun

trib·​u·​tary ˈtri-byə-ˌter-ē 

plural tributaries

1

: a stream feeding a larger stream or a lake

2

: a ruler or state that pays tribute to a conqueror

tributary

2 of 2

adjective

1

: paying tribute to another to acknowledge submission, to obtain protection, or to purchase peace : subject

2

: paid or owed as tribute

tributary gifts

3

: channeling material or supplies into something more inclusive : contributory

Did you know?

A tributary was originally a person or state that owed tribute to a more powerful person or state. Ancient China, for instance, had dozens of tributary states, and the emperor would receive elephants from Siam or young girls from Korea as tribute. Just as a smaller power gave some of its wealth to a larger power, a small river contributes its waters to a larger one. A tributary can be a tiny stream, but some are immense rivers. The Missouri River, for example, could be called a tributary to the Mississippi, even though it's about 2,500 miles long and receives hundreds of tributaries itself.

Synonyms

Noun

• headwater
• branch
• bayou
• feeder
• source
• influent
• affluent
• confluent

Examples of tributary in a Sentence

Noun

one of the river's tributaries

This stream is a tributary of the Ohio River.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Of the more than five thousand tributaries that empty into the Great Lakes, about one in ten is infested with lampreys. —Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025

These ancient, natural waterways are former tributaries of the Rio Grande left behind hundreds to thousands of years ago when the river shifted its course. —Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025

Adjective

Athens demands that Melos become a tributary ally against Sparta and fortify its reputation for invincibility or confront destruction. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2025

These fish will be suspending now rather than holding tight to the bottom, so your best approach is to cover a lot of water by slow-trolling small crankbaits like the Bandit 100 and Bomber Model A. Target the deep ends of gravel flats, major points at tributary mouths, and creek-channel drops. —Don Wirth, Field & Stream, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tributary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

tributary

1 of 2 adjective

trib·​u·​tary ˈtrib-yə-ˌter-ē 

1

: paying tribute to another : subject

2

: paid or owed as tribute

3

: contributing or adding to something larger or more important

especially : flowing into a larger stream or lake

tributary

2 of 2 noun

plural tributaries

1

: a ruler or state that pays tribute to a conqueror

2

: a stream flowing into a larger stream or a lake

Medical Definition

tributary

noun

trib·​u·​tary ˈtrib-yə-ˌter-ē 

plural tributaries

: a vein that empties into a larger vein