tributary

American  

[trib-yuh-ter-ee] / ˈtrɪb yəˌtɛr i /

noun

plural

tributaries

1. a stream that flows to a larger stream or other body of water.

2. a person or nation that pays tribute in acknowledgment of subjugation or the like.

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adjective

1. (of a stream) flowing into a larger stream or other body of water.

2. furnishing subsidiary aid; contributory.

3. paying or required to pay tribute.

4. paid as tribute.

5. subject; subordinate.

   a tributary nation.

tributary British  

/ -trɪ, ˈtrɪbjʊtərɪ /

noun

1. a stream, river, or glacier that feeds another larger one

2. a person, nation, or people that pays tribute

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adjective

1. (of a stream, etc) feeding a larger stream

2. given or owed as a tribute

3. paying tribute

tributary Scientific  

/ trĭb′yə-tĕr′ē /

1. A stream that flows into a river, a larger stream, or a lake.

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Other Word Forms

• nontributary adjective
• tributarily adverb
• untributarily adverb
• untributary adjective

Etymology

Origin of tributary

1325–75; Middle English (adj. and noun) < Latin tribūtārius of tribute, one who pays tribute. See tribute, -ary

Example Sentences

Two weeks ago the government announced the suspension of dredging in the Tapajos River, a key Amazon River tributary, after Indigenous-led protests.

From Barron's

Toxins entered a tributary feeding the Kafue, Zambia's longest river and a major source of drinking water.

From Barron's

The Severn Estuary is home to huge numbers of sprats and salmon, and the twaite shad, a protected migrating species which spawns in the tributaries of the River Severn.

From BBC

It was a town on the White Volta, a major tributary of the Volta River, way up north.

From Literature

A wall currently separates the Nant Clydach tributary from the street, but the environment body, Natural Resources Wales, said building a raised flood defence wall was "not economically viable".

From BBC