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tributary

noun · adjective

Simple meaning

A branch that flows into the main stream.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

tribyuhtuhree

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈtɹɪbjətɛɹi

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. hydrology

    A branch that flows into the main stream

  2. hydrology

    A natural water stream that flows into a larger river or other body of water.

  3. A nation, state, or other entity that pays tribute.

  4. anatomy

    A vein which drains into another vein.

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.

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A branch that flows into the main stream

Used this way, tributary is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: branch that flows into the main stream

affluent

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.