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Blue Nile

American  

noun

  1. a river in E Africa, flowing NNW from Lake Tana in Ethiopia into the Nile at Khartoum: a tributary of the Nile. About 950 miles (1,530 km) long.


Blue Nile British  

noun

  1. a river in E Africa, rising in central Ethiopia as the Abbai and flowing southeast, then northwest to join the White Nile. Length: about 1530 km (950 miles)

"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

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.

It has spread to southeastern Blue Nile state, bordering Ethiopia and South Sudan, raising fears of a prolonged and fragmented conflict.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Near her office, a towering figure of the Nubian god Apedemak stands guard next to the Blue Nile.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

More than a mile long and 145m high, Gerd lies on the Blue Nile in the northern Ethiopia highlands, from where 85% of the River Nile's waters flow.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

The team investigated the Shinfa-Metema 1 site in the lowlands of present-day northwestern Ethiopia along the Shinfa River, a tributary of the Blue Nile River.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2024

In 1770 James Bruce reached the source of the Blue Nile in Abyssinia.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 1 A to Amide by Various

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