river

noun

riv·​er ˈri-vər How to pronounce river (audio)
Synonyms of rivernext
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
see also:
sell down the river 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The latest landslide created a new blockage in the river and formed another barrier lake, authorities said. — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Rice terraces along riverside had experienced landslides, dropping parts of their field into the river. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 Visitors with upcoming river trips are advised to contact their respective outfitter or NPS River Permits. — Eve Chen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026 Large concrete and smaller suspension bridges were destroyed, leaving communities on the other side of the river with less easy access. — Victoria Milko, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for river

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of river was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing river

Rhymes for river

See All Rhymes for river

Browse Nearby Words

riven
river
river's mouth
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“River.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/river. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

river

noun
riv·​er ˈriv-ər How to pronounce river (audio)
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"

More from Merriam-Webster on river

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for river

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about river

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All