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Added 10 October 2026

tributary

/ˈtɹɪbjʊtəɹi/ noun

Categories: NatureRare Words

Latin root: tribūtārius Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tributary at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A natural water stream that flows into a larger river or other body of water.
  2. A vein which drains into another vein.
    The great saphenous vein is a tributary of the femoral vein.
  3. A nation, state, or other entity that pays tribute.

adjective

  1. Related to the paying of tribute.
  2. Subordinate; inferior.
  3. Yielding supplies of any kind; serving to form or make up, a greater object of the same kind, as a part, branch, etc.; contributing.
    The Ohio has many tributary streams, and is itself tributary to the Mississippi.

Origin

PIE word *tréyes From Middle English tributarie (“paying tribute”), from Latin tribūtārius, from tribūtum (“tribute”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: feedersecondaryaffluentinfluentinletfunction6thtaxationhostagetaxsubjectsusceptible

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