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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What to know: This hike along the White Cliffs Trail in Arizona's newest state park will take you through riparian areas, a mesquite bosque and highland desert landscapes. —

Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 18 Dec. 2024 Russia, currently engaged in the Ukraine conflict, has used its dominant regional position to prioritise its economic needs in the Volga and Ural basins over environmental concerns and issues raised by riparian countries. —

Photovogue, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024 In it, the authors show that international water disputes will affect not only the security interests of riparian states, but also of the United States. —

Shlomi Dinar, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2012 Related:Big Texan Steak Ranch: 1 million bread rolls, 300 tons of beef, 250,000 shirts each year I-20 Wildlife Preserve (Midland), 126 miles The I-20 Wildlife Preserve, spanning 100 acres, is a riparian forest located in Midland. —

Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for riparian