Potamos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A river or watercourse, especially one that nourishes the surrounding landscape
2. A body of flowing water, typically larger than a stream, that plays a vital role in local ecosystems
3. An aquatic channel that allows for the movement of water, supporting both biodiversity and human needs

Etymology: Greek "potamos" meant simply "river," the word the Greeks used for their large flowing waterways. It survives in some of the best-known place names of the ancient world. "Mesopotamia" joins "mesos" ("middle") with "potamos" to mean "between the rivers," the name given to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates. The word also appears in English through "hippopotamus," from Greek "hippopotamos," which combines "hippos" ("horse") with "potamos," meaning "river horse." The name suits an animal that spends much of its day submerged in water.

Synonyms: river