Euphrates

American  

[yoo-frey-teez] / yuˈfreɪ tiz /

noun

1. a river in SW Asia, flowing from E Turkey through Syria and Iraq, joining the Tigris to form the Shatt-al-Arab near the Persian Gulf. 1,700 miles (2,735 km) long.

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Euphrates British  

/ juːˈfreɪtiːz /

noun

1. a river in SW Asia, rising in E Turkey and flowing south across Syria and Iraq to join the Tigris, forming the Shatt-al-Arab, which flows to the head of the Persian Gulf: important in ancient times for the extensive irrigation of its valley (in Mesopotamia). Length: 3598 km (2235 miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Euphratean adjective
• trans-Euphrates adjective

Example Sentences

Twice each day, tidal surges carried freshwater deep into the lower Tigris and Euphrates.

From Science Daily

Though war has subsided in much of the country, Deir al-Zour, which is bisected by the Euphrates, remains a hostage to competing ambitions.

From Los Angeles Times

US troops also train and equip what Washington sees as moderate Arab and Kurdish forces east of the Euphrates River and at the al-Tanf military base, close to the border with Iraq and Jordan.

From BBC

The Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which provide most of Iraq’s fresh water, originate in Turkey.

From Seattle Times

However, the site was ignored entirely by archaeologists until the 1850 publication of a British Middle Euphrates expedition survey.

From Science Daily