meander

[ mee-an-der ]

See synonyms for meander on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to proceed by or take a winding or indirect course: The stream meandered through the valley.
to wander aimlessly; ramble: The talk meandered on.

verb (used with object)

Surveying. to define the margin of (a body of water) with a meander line.

noun

Usually meanders. turnings or windings; a winding path or course.
a circuitous movement or journey.

an intricate variety of fret or fretwork.

Origin of meander

1570–80; <Latin maeander<Greek maíandros a winding, special use of Maíandros, the Menderes River, noted for its winding course

Other words for meander

1	wander, wind, twist, snake, coil

See synonyms for meander on Thesaurus.com

Other words from meander

me·an·der·er, noun

Words Nearby meander

Other definitions for Meander (2 of 2)

Meander

[ mee-an-der ]

noun

ancient name of the Menderes (def. 2).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use meander in a sentence

As announced in The New York Times, stores now track customers as they meander through the shop floor.
How Big Data Is Entering Every Corner of Our Lives | Leo Hollis | July 26, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Solnit can take up a thought and follow its meander into as-yet unrevealed territory.
The Collector: Rebecca Solnit on Textual Pleasure, Punk, and More | Lauren Elkin | July 2, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
All of them meander through multiple surprises to satisfying and unexpected endings.
Our Favorite Books of 2012: Tina Brown, Andrew Sullivan, and Others’ Picks | The Daily Beast | December 11, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
The English potter and ceramist Josiah Wedgwood loved the meander.
This Week’s Hot Reads: April 9, 2012 | Nicholas Mancusi, Malcolm Jones | April 9, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
As it has come down to us “on the borders of pottery and textiles, the meander resembles a maze or labyrinth.”
This Week’s Hot Reads: April 9, 2012 | Nicholas Mancusi, Malcolm Jones | April 9, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST

But I must meander back to town, and let the boys know you're in possession, safe and sound.
Devil's Ford | Bret Harte
On such it appears rather as a fragment of the more complicated meander patterns, from which it is derived.
The Swastika | Thomas Wilson
Professor Goodyear gives the title of “meander” to that form of Swastika which bends two or more times (fig. 11).
The Swastika | Thomas Wilson
Three have the ends bent (at right angles) four times, making a meander form, while two make only one bend.
The Swastika | Thomas Wilson
Even the square and meander Swastikas (figs. 10, 11) require a rule and angle to make them exact.
The Swastika | Thomas Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for meander (1 of 2)

meander

/ (mɪˈændə) /

verb(intr)

to follow a winding course
to wander without definite aim or direction

noun

(often plural) a curve or bend, as in a river
(often plural) a winding course or movement

an ornamental pattern, esp as used in ancient Greek architecture

Origin of meander

C16: from Latin maeander, from Greek Maiandros the River Maeander; see Menderes (sense 1)

Derived forms of meander

meanderer, noun
meandering, adjective
meanderingly, adverb
meandrous, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for Meander (2 of 2)

Meander

/ (miːˈændə) /

noun

a variant spelling of Maeander

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

Scientific definitions for meander

meander

[ mē-ăn′dər ]

A sinuous curve, bend, or loop along the course of a stream or river.

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