riparian
adjective
Did you know?
Riparian came to English from the same source that gave us "river"—the Latin riparius, a noun deriving from ripa, meaning "bank" or "shore." First appearing in English in the 19th century, "riparian" refers to things that exist alongside a river (such as riparian wetlands, habitats, trees, etc.). Some river communities have laws called "riparian rights," referring to the rights of those owning land along a river to have access to the waterway. Note the distinction of this word from "littoral," which usually refers to things that occur along the shore of a sea or ocean.
Examples of riparian in a Sentence
Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2024
It was established by then-president Barack Obama in 2015 to protect the region’s biodiversity including tule elk, relic prairies and riparian habitat.
—Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 2 May 2024
Along the way, he was fined millions of dollars for flouting environmental laws, flagrantly blading desert riparian areas, drilling wells without a permit and diverting waterways.
—Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 1 May 2024
They are found in forests, near creeks, riparian areas, deserts and urban parks.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 28 Mar. 2024
According to Fish and Wildlife Service, the riparian rabbit was believed to be found only in Caswell Memorial State Park and near Lathrop.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2023
During migration season in Arizona, these hummingbirds can be observed in a variety of habitats, including desert scrub and riparian areas.
—The Arizona Republic, 10 Apr. 2024
The beach is also home to several diverse habitats, including riparian, estuarine, coastal dune and marine.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024
The least bell’s vireo has been listed on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s endangered species list since 1986, in part due to the loss of its riparian habitat from human development.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'riparian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Riparian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riparian. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
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riparian
adjective
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