tributary
Translation
tributary, branch, feeder
Examples
The River Lea is a tributary of the River Thames.
The River Lea is a tributary of the River Thames.
The smaller kingdom was a tributary of the great empire.
The smaller kingdom was a tributary of the great empire.
Grammar Patterns
a tributary of ((a river/empire)) a smaller river flowing into a larger one The River Lea is a tributary of the River Thames.
Similar Words
Synonyms: branch, feeder (for a river); vassal (for a state)
Etymology
From Latin 'tributarius' (paying tribute), from 'tributum' (tribute).
Memory Tips
A 'tributary' river 'pays tribute' by flowing into a larger river, just as a tributary state pays tribute to an empire.