white water
Americannoun
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frothy water, as in whitecaps and rapids.
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light-colored seawater over a shoal, sandy bottom, etc.
noun
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a stretch of water with a broken foamy surface, as in rapids
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light-coloured sea water, esp over shoals or shallows
Etymology
Origin of white water
First recorded in 1580–90
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.
The river — a popular spot for white water rafting around this time of the year — is fast-moving and dangerous.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2025
"There was just an eruption of white water and it was evident that the dolphins had picked up on the porpoise's presence basically as soon as it entered the bay," said Mr Pedley.
From BBC • Aug. 24, 2023
You’ll walk next to churning, frothing white water.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 28, 2023
Then again, most river lovers are pretty chill, even as they nurture a passion bordering on fanaticism when it comes to white water.
From Washington Post • Aug. 4, 2022
The trail comes down to the riverbank just upstream from a narrow gorge, through which the Teklanika surges in a boil of white water.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
