riparian
[ ri-pair-ee-uhn, rahy- ]
/ rɪˈpɛər i ən, raɪ- /
adjective
of, relating to, or situated or dwelling on the bank of a river or other body of water: riparian villas.
noun
Law. a person who owns land on the bank of a natural watercourse or body of water.
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Origin of riparian
OTHER WORDS FROM riparian
non·ri·par·i·an, adjective, nounWords nearby riparian
riotous, riotous living, riot shield, riot squad, rip, riparian, riparian right, rip cord, rip current, ripe, ripen
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for riparian
British Dictionary definitions for riparian
riparian
/ (raɪˈpɛərɪən) /
adjective
of, inhabiting, or situated on the bank of a river
denoting or relating to the legal rights of the owner of land on a river bank, such as fishing or irrigation
noun
property law a person who owns land on a river bank
Word Origin for riparian
C19: from Latin rīpārius, from rīpa a river bank
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for riparian
riparian
[ rĭ-pâr′ē-ən ]
Relating to or inhabiting the banks of a natural course of water. Riparian zones are ecologically diverse and contribute to the health of other aquatic ecosystems by filtering out pollutants and preventing erosion. Salmon in the Pacific Northwest feed off riparian insects; trees such as the black walnut, the American sycamore, and the cottonwood thrive in riparian environments.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.