Cours d'eau.
ETYM Old Eng. brok, broke, brook, AS. brôc; akin to Dutch broek, LG. brôk, marshy ground, Old High Germ. pruoh, German bruch marsh; prob. from the root of Eng. break. Related to Break.
A natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river); SYN. creek.
ETYM French rivčre a river, Late Lat. riparia river, bank of a river, from Latin riparius belonging to a bank or shore, from ripa a bank or shore; of uncertain origin. Related to Arrive, Riparian.
A large natural stream of water (larger than a creek).
Long water course that flows down a slope along a channel. It originates at a point called its source, and enters a sea or lake at its mouth. Along its length it may be joined by smaller rivers called tributaries. A river and its tributaries are contained within a drainage basin.
One way of classifying rivers is their stage of development. A youthful stream is typified by a narrow V-shaped valley with numerous waterfalls, lakes, and rapids. When maturity is reached the river is said to be graded; erosion and deposition are delicately balanced as the river meanders across the extensive floodplain. At this stage the floodplain is characterized by extensive meanders, ox-bow lakes and levées.
ETYM as. streám; akin to OFries. strâm, os. strôm, Dutch stroom, German strom, Old High Germ. stroum, strűm, Dan. and Swed. ström, Icel. straumr, Irish sroth, Lith. srove, Russ. struia, Greek rysis a flowing, rein to flow, Skr. sru. Related to Catarrh, Diarrhea, Rheum, Rhythm.
1. A natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth; SYN. watercourse.
2. Dominant course (suggestive of running water) of successive events or ideas; SYN. flow, current.
3. Something that resembles a flowing stream in moving continuously; SYN. flow.