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
- A large and often winding stream which drains a...
Ancestry of “river”, step by step
river traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English river
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | river | Alternative form of ryver |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | rivere | Alternative form of riviere |
| 3 | Old French | riviere | river |
| 4 | Latin | rīpāria | littoral, riverbank |
| 5 | Latin | rīpārius | that inhabits the banks of rivers; riparian |
| 6 | Latin | rīpa | bank (of a river) |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | reipā | river bank |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁réyp-eh₂ | — |
via Middle English rivere
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rivere | Alternative form of ryver |