river

noun, often attributive riv·er \ ˈri-vər \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Examples: river in a Sentence

Definition of river

1 a : a natural stream of water of usually considerable volume

b : watercourse

2 a : something resembling a river

a river of lava

b rivers plural : large or overwhelming quantities

drank rivers of coffee

— up the river

: to or in prison

was sent up the river

See river defined for English-language learners

See river defined for kids

Examples of river in a Sentence

The raft is too small to use on this part of the river.
Rivers of mud flowed down the hillside.

Recent Examples of river from the Web

With the beginning of summer and the weather turning hot a little earlier than normal, people are seeking the cool of a nearby river or lake, Huber said.

— sheila vilvens, Cincinnati.com, "Emergency rescue workers offer water safety tips after a busy weekend," 11 June 2018
And public safety officials in Central Texas dropped life vests to a mother and her 15-year-old daughter, who got caught in a rising river.

— jack stewart, WIRED, "A Single Drone Helped Mexican Police Drop Crime 10 Percent," 11 June 2018
Thousands of women gathered Sunday to turn British cities into rivers of green, white and violet to mark 100 years since the first U.K. women won the right to vote.

— Washington Post, "100 years of voting: British marches celebrate suffragettes," 10 June 2018
Out front, gray clouds and orange sky reflect off a huge new river.

— seth kantner, Anchorage Daily News, "We’re failing in our relationship with nature – and with each other," 9 June 2018
Four weeks have passed since the first eruption rocked Hawaii's Big Island and lava continues oozing from volcanic fissures, burning homes to the ground and turning into rivers of molten rock.

— scott mclean, CNN, "Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes Kilauea summit, sending ash plumes up to 8,000 feet," 4 June 2018
There is going to be a river of failure and tears with lots of capital being chewed up and wasted.

— polina marinova, Fortune, "Term Sheet -- Wednesday, June 4," 4 June 2018
The backyard is primed for entertaining, with a resort-style pool with a lazy river and a swim-up bar.

— lorraine longhi, azcentral, "Luxury homes: Former NFL player sells $10.3M Scottsdale mansion with lazy river," 4 June 2018
Where there were once homes and a thriving community, there are now just rivers of lava with no end in sight.

— carter evans, CBS News, "Residents surrounded by lava on Hawaii's Big Island," 3 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of river

Middle English rivere, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *riparia, from Latin, feminine of riparius riparian, from ripa bank, shore; perhaps akin to Greek ereipein to tear down

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

RIVER Defined for English Language Learners

river

noun

Definition of river for English Language Learners

: a large natural flow of water that crosses an area of land and goes into an ocean, a lake, etc.
: a large flow of something

RIVER Defined for Kids

river

noun riv·er \ ˈri-vər \

Definition of river for Students

1 : a natural stream of water larger than a brook or creek

2 : a large stream or flow

a river of mud

Learn More about river

See words that rhyme with river Spanish Central: Translation of river Nglish: Translation of river for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of river for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about river

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river

Definition of river

Examples of river in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of river

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RIVER Defined for English Language Learners

river

Definition of river for English Language Learners

RIVER Defined for Kids

river

Definition of river for Students

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