riparian
adjective
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
Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2025
How a state agency keeps water basins full How beaver dams can help a riparian habitat
Since the 1800s, more than a third of Arizona’s wetlands have disappeared, according to the U.S. Wildlife Service.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 8 July 2025
The Rio Grande, fringed with feathery riparian plants, winds through the fields.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 24 Jan. 2025
The bench sits next to wetlands in the riparian forest, where cottonwoods and willows tower over sage bushes and wild roses.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for riparian
Cite this Entry
“Riparian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riparian. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
riparian
adjective
Share