river
A large natural stream of water flowing to the sea, a lake, or another river.
Etymology
From Middle English river, from Anglo-Norman rivere, from Latin rīpāria (riverbank), from rīpa (bank, shore). The word entered English from French, replacing the native Old English ēa (river, from PIE *h₂ekʷeh₂-). The Latin rīpa itself may derive from PIE *h₁reyH- (to scratch, tear), referring to the way a river cuts through land, though this connection is not certain.
The Journey: *h₁reyH- → river
*h₁reyH- (uncertain)
rīpa
rīpāria
rivere
river
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *h₁reyH-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| French | rivière — river |
| Italian | riviera — coast, shore |
| Spanish | río — river |
| Portuguese | rio — river |
Did You Know?
The Italian Riviera takes its name from the same Latin word. England's native word for river, ēa, survives hidden in place names like Eaton ('river settlement') and names ending in -ey (island in a river).