confluent

American  

[kon-floo-uhnt] / ˈkɒn flu ənt /

adjective

1. flowing or running together; blending into one.

   confluent rivers;

   confluent ideas.

2. Pathology.

   1. running together.

      confluent efflorescences.

   2. characterized by confluent efflorescences.

      confluent smallpox.

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noun

1. one of two or more confluent streams.

2. a tributary stream.

confluent British  

/ ˈkɒnflʊənt /

adjective

1. flowing together or merging

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noun

1. a stream that flows into another, usually of approximately equal size

Etymology

Origin of confluent

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin confluent-, stem of confluēns “flowing together”; equivalent to con- + fluent

Example Sentences

All this action was the product of several confluent factors.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

“At some point, we’re going to have a confluent epidemic in the U.S.,”

From Washington Post • Jul. 17, 2020

The physicians say that it is a mild and not confluent form, yet as contagious as though of the confluent form.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2019

And unlike other links, which offer an array of difficulty, Shinnecock's layout is confluent, each hole as hard as the last.

From Golf Digest • Jun. 15, 2018

It is that most extraordinary noise, half-shout, half-song, made by confluent, simultaneously raised human voices, explaining things to each other.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas