riparian

adjective

ri·par·i·an rə-ˈper-ē-ən

rī-

: relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (such as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater

riparian trees

Did you know?

Riparian came to English from the same source that gave us "river"—the Latin riparius, a noun deriving from ripa, meaning "bank" or "shore." First appearing in English in the 19th century, "riparian" refers to things that exist alongside a river (such as riparian wetlands, habitats, trees, etc.). Some river communities have laws called "riparian rights," referring to the rights of those owning land along a river to have access to the waterway. Note the distinction of this word from "littoral," which usually refers to things that occur along the shore of a sea or ocean.

Examples of riparian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Here's what to do if that happens, or in any scary wildlife encounter Black bears are the only species of bear found in Arizona, and they can be found in forests, chaparral and desert riparian areas. —

John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 2 Nov. 2024 Recent examples of stewardship include a riparian rejuvenation and designated no-mow zone along the East Fork-White River, established in early 2024 with student volunteers from the Elkins school district and master gardeners and a prairie restoration happening by the Elkins Community Center. —

Deb Harvell, arkansasonline.com, 13 Oct. 2024 Lush riparian vegetation would absorb planet-heating carbon dioxide and also provide natural cooling, helping L.A. adapt to climate change. —

Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024 A lot of uncertainty regarding riparian flows due to climate change as well as the lack of trust with the upstream riparian, India, is also complicating matters. —

Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for riparian