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
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Dec. 2025
The bike and pedestrian paths that weave through the riparian corridor below provided access to a neighborhood of tents and shacks, a leafy suburb of the Crash Zone known as the Enchanted Forest.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
At the same time, there are riparian natives — those that grow along watercourses — which may need regular attention in terms of water needs for many years after planting.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
The agency is also urging people to keep pets on a leash when recreating outdoors, particularly near riparian habitats, which are where moose prefer to live.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riparian
Cite this Entry
“Riparian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riparian. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.
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riparian
adjective
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