headwaters

American

[hed-waw-terz, -wot-erz] / ˈhɛdˌwɔ tərz, -ˌwɒt ərz /

plural noun

Sometimes headwater the upper tributaries of a river.

headwaters British

/ ˈhɛdˌwɔːtəz /

plural noun

the tributary streams of a river in the area in which it rises; headstreams

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of headwaters

1525–35; head + waters, plural of water

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

headwaters

In the months afterward, he embarked on an ill-advised expedition to find gold in the headwaters of the Columbia River in Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

The treaty governs the use of water from six rivers, whose headwaters originate in India but flow into Pakistan as part of the Indus basin -- a resource relied on by hundreds of millions.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

The "Walcot Wiggle" is taking place within the headwaters of the River Clun - parts of which support internationally important species like the freshwater pearl mussel.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

Its life cycle includes a journey of 11,000 kilometers from Andean headwaters to coastal nursery areas.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 26, 2026

It subsided on the headwaters of the Ebola River and went back to its hiding place in the forest.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023