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Definition of snake river
snake river
snake river Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
American A major river of the Pacific Northwest in the United States, originating in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and flowing through Idaho, Oregon, and Washington before emptying into the Columbia River.
Example
"We booked a white-water rafting trip on the Snake River as it flows through the spectacular Teton Range."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named after the Shoshone people, who were known to European explorers as the 'Snake Indians.' This name reportedly originated from a misinterpretation of a Shoshone hand sign representing a swimming salmon, which early explorers mistook for a snake.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Snake river. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/snake river