Noun: distributary di'stri-byu,te-ree [N. Amer], di'stri-byû-t(u-)ree [Brit]
- A branch of a river that flows away from the main stream and does not rejoin it
"The Mississippi River delta is characterized by numerous distributaries"
Derived forms: distributaries
Type of: branch
Antonym: affluent
Encyclopedia: Distributary