river

¹ American  

[riv-er] / ˈrɪv ər /

noun

1. a natural stream of water of fairly large size flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels.

2. a similar stream of something other than water: a river of ice.

   a river of lava;

   a river of ice.

3. any abundant stream or copious flow; outpouring: rivers of words.

   rivers of tears;

   rivers of words.

4. Astronomy. River, the constellation Eridanus.

5. Printing. a vertical channel of white space resulting from the alignment in several lines of spaces between words.

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idioms

1. sell down the river, to betray; deceive; double-cross.

   to sell one's friends down the river.

2. up the river,

   1. to prison.

      to be sent up the river for a bank robbery.

   2. in prison.

      Thirty years up the river had made him a stranger to society.

river ² American  

[rahy-ver] / ˈraɪ vər /

noun

1. a person who rives.

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river British  

/ ˈrɪvə /

noun

1. 1. a large natural stream of fresh water flowing along a definite course, usually into the sea, being fed by tributary streams

   2. ( as modifier )

      river traffic

      a river basin

   3. ( in combination )

      riverside

      riverbed

2. any abundant stream or flow

   a river of blood

3. informal to deceive or betray

4. slang poker the fifth and final community card to be dealt in a round of Texas hold 'em

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river Scientific  

/ rĭv′ər /

1. A wide, natural stream of fresh water that flows into an ocean or other large body of water and is usually fed by smaller streams, called tributaries, that enter it along its course. A river and its tributaries form a drainage basin, or watershed, that collects the runoff throughout the region and channels it along with erosional sediments toward the river. The sediments are typically deposited most heavily along the river's lower course, forming floodplains along its banks and a delta at its mouth.

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river More Idioms  

1. see sell down the river; up the river.

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Other Word Forms

• riverless adjective
• riverlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of river¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English river(e), rever(e), from Old French rivere, riviere, from unattested Vulgar Latin rīpāria, noun use of feminine of Latin rīpārius riparian

Origin of river²

First recorded in 1450–1500; rive + -er ¹

Example Sentences

I’ve also thought about taking river cruises in some countries.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

The juvenile whale, affectionately dubbed "Willapa Willy" by locals, was first spotted last Wednesday in the north fork of the river, about 145 miles southwest of Seattle, the marine mammal research group said.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

They gather drinking water from a river, start fires with sticks, arrange palm fronds for one type of shelter and ice blocks for another, as well as prepare meals of cactus and beetles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

For the first time in more than 80 years, the fish swam in their ancestral river, where they had once been abundant.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

On the other side of the river, the road was quieter than usual.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• estuary
• stream
• tributary