confluent

adjective

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con·flu·ent | \ ˈkän-ˌflü-ənt

, kən-ˈflü- \

Definition of confluent

(Entry 1 of 2)

: marked by or exhibiting confluence: such as

a : flowing or coming together confluent streams/rivers You can hear the sound from the beach at a distance, before you see the people. It is that most extraordinary noise, half-shout, half-song, made by confluent, simultaneously raised human voices, explaining things to each other.— Lewis Thomas He fought the swaying, jiggling motion, which was mixed with the warm confluent smells of rubber floor mat and petroleum combustion …— John Updike

b medical

(1) of lesions or skin eruptions : having run or grown together and so no longer discrete The lesions begin as 1 to 3 mm macules that gradually become confluent assuming a reticulated lacelike pattern.— Pearl E. Grimes

(2) : characterized by lesions or skin eruptions that have run or grown together On physical examination, patient A developed confluent urticaria that initially appeared on the thorax …— Thomas B. Casale et al.

c cell biology, of a cell culture : covering the culture substrate completely or nearly completely As the epithelial cell cultures become more confluent, they take on a cobblestone like appearance as the cells pack together.— Yvonne A. Reid When a confluent culture of 3T3 cells is wounded, new growth occurs at the wound margins.— Graham A. Dunn et al.

confluent

noun

Definition of confluent (Entry 2 of 2)

: a confluent stream broadly : tributary

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about confluent

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Synonyms & Antonyms for confluent

Synonyms: Noun

Antonyms: Noun

Examples of confluent in a Sentence

Noun several confluents slowly winding their way to the main river

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Scholars have proposed different culprits, including malignant confluent smallpox whose symptoms include not only the headache, spots, and sores but also the yellowing of the skin. — National Geographic, "Massasoit's strategic diplomacy kept peace with the Pilgrims for decades," 19 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'confluent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.