Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “river” come from?

River derives from Old French riviere, from Latin riparius meaning "of or pertaining to a riverbank," itself from ripa meaning "riverbank."

river (English): A large and often winding stream which drains a...

Definitions

  1. A large and often winding stream which drains a...

Ancestry of “river”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishriverAlternative form of ryver
2Anglo-NormanrivereAlternative form of riviere
3Old Frenchriviereriver
4Latinrīpāria—
5Latinrīpārius—
6Latinrīpa—
7Proto-Italicreipā—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁réyp-eh₂—

Words derived from “river”

  • River
  • riverbank
  • riverside
  • upriver
  • riverine
  • downriver
  • riverbed
  • riverfront
  • riverboat
  • Riverton
  • riverman
  • riverscape
  • riverward
  • midriver
  • riverwards
  • riverwalk
  • riverwater
  • riverlike
  • riverway
  • rivercraft
  • riverless
  • riverbend
  • rivery
  • riverport
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁réyp-eh₂ →