River

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈɹɪvÉ™/
• GenAm IPA: /ˈɹɪvÉš/
• Rhymes: -ɪvÉ™(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: riv + er

From Anglo-Norman rivere, from Old French riviere, from Vulgar Latin *riparia ("riverbank, seashore, river"), from Latin riparius ("of a riverbank"), from riparia ("shore"), from ripa ("river bank"), from Proto-Indo-European *rei- ("to scratch, tear, cut").

Full definition of river

Noun

1. A large and often winding stream which drains a land mass, carrying water down from higher areas to a lower point, ending at an ocean or in an inland sea.
• 1908, Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the WillowsBy the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spell-bound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea.
• 2013-06-29, High and wet, Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale. The early, intense onset of the monsoon on June 14th swelled rivers, washing away roads, bridges, hotels and even whole villages. Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.
2. Occasionally rivers overflow their banks and cause floods.
3. Any large flow of a liquid in a single body.
   a river of blood
4. (poker) The last card dealt in a hand.

Derived terms

Verb

1. (poker) To improve one’s hand to beat another player on the final card in a poker game.Johnny rivered me by drawing that ace of spades.

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /ˈɹaɪvÉ™/
• GenAm IPA: /ˈɹaɪvÉš/
• Rhymes: -aɪvÉ™(ɹ)

rive + -er

Noun

1. One who rives or splits.