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Definition of delaware river
delaware river
delaware river Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
5
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
American A major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States that flows southward from New York, forms the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and empties into the Delaware Bay.
Example
"During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington famously led his troops across the icy Delaware River on the night of December 25, 1776."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The river was named by English settlers in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, the first royal governor of the Virginia colony. The word 'river' comes from the Old French 'riviere'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Delaware river. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/delaware river