tributary
noun
a stream that flows to a larger stream or other body of water.
tributaries
-
pluralof tributary.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Many migratory fish, such as trout and salmon, swim up smaller tributaries to lay their eggs in cleaner, gravel-bottomed, or cooler waters away from larger predators in the main river.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Both are tributaries of the Klamath River, where Chinook and coho salmon swim upstream to spawn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Lakes are being drained to feed the Po and its tributaries, but at the current rate, the reserves will run out within weeks.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
The Army Corps of Engineers has identified silted-up chokepoints throughout the greater delta and its tributaries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Almost all that we know is that it was ideally located on a high bluff overlooking the mouth of the Tapajos, one of the Amazon's biggest tributaries.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
