river

noun

riv·​er ˈri-vər 

often attributive

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

Phrases

up the river

: to or in prison

was sent up the river

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 on the Web

According to recent data from Cruise Lines International Association, river cruises are rated among the vacation types highest in satisfaction when compared with all-inclusive resorts or traditional land vacations. —Deanna Taylor, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025

Rachelle Salnave, a filmmaker in Haiti, sent me videos of a piece of the Route Nationale, the country’s main transportation artery, collapsing like a glacier into a roiling, swollen river. —Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025

Cities like Mesa, Phoenix and Scottsdale could lose more than 20% of their river allocations, triggering public debates in council chambers and municipal offices over how to respond, what to sacrifice and what to prioritize. —Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 11 Nov. 2025

Along the way, the train passes through dense forests and narrow river canyons. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing river

• atmospheric river
• down the river
• mouth of the river
• river blindness
• river dolphin
• river duck
• river horse
• river mouth
• river otter
• river's mouth
• sell down the river

Rhymes for river

• giver
• liver
• livre
• quiver
• shiver
• sliver
• caregiver
• deliver
• downriver
• lawgiver
• upriver

Kids Definition

river

noun

riv·​er ˈriv-ər 

1

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

2

: a large stream or flow

the jet stream is a river of air

Etymology

Middle English rivere "river," from early French rivere (same meaning), derived from Latin riparius "related to or located on the bank of a river," from ripa "shore"