12 definitions found for Tributary

Tributary TRIB'UTARY, a. [from tribute.] Paying tribute to another, either from compulsion, as an acknowledgment of submission, or to secure protection, or for the purpose of purchasing peace. The republic of Ragusa is tributary to the grand seignor. Many of the powers of Europe are tributary to the Barbary states.
1. Subject; subordinate.
He, to grace his tributary gods--
2. Paid in tribute.
No flatt'ry tunes these tributary lays.
3. Yielding supplies of any thing. The Ohio has many large tributary streams; and is itself tributary to the Mississippi.
TRIB'UTARY, n. One that pays tribute or a stated sum to a conquering power, for the purpose of securing peace and protection, or as an acknowledgment of submission, or for the purchase of security. What a reproach to nations that they should be the tributaries of Algiers!

tributary adj 1: (of a stream) flowing into a larger stream 2: paying tribute; "a tributary colony" 3: tending to bring about; being partly responsible for; "working conditions are not conducive to productivity"; "the seaport was a contributing factor in the growth of the city"; "a contributory factor" [syn: conducive, contributing(a), contributive, contributory, tributary] n 1: a branch that flows into the main stream [syn: feeder, tributary, confluent, affluent] [ant: distributary]

tributary 14c., from L. tributarius "liable to tax or tribute," from tributum (see tribute). Meaning "stream that flows into a larger body" is from 1822, from the adj., which is recorded from 1611 in this sense.

tributary I. adjective Date: 14th century 1. paying tribute to another to acknowledge submission, to obtain protection, or to purchase peace ; subject 2. paid or owed as tribute <tributary gifts> 3. channeling material or supplies into something more inclusive ; contributory II. noun (plural -taries) Date: 14th century 1. a ruler or state that pays tribute to a conqueror 2. a stream feeding a larger stream or a lake

tributary
n. & adj.
--n. (pl. -ies)
1 a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake.
2 hist. a person or State paying or subject to tribute.
--adj.
1 (of a river etc.) that is a tributary.
2 hist. a paying tribute. b serving as tribute.
Derivatives:
tributarily adv. tributariness n.
Etymology: ME f. L tributarius (as TRIBUTE)

tributary (tributaries) A tributary is a stream or river that flows into a larger one. ...the Napo river, a tributary of the Amazon. N-COUNT: oft N n

tributary ˈtrɪbjutərɪ n. & adj. --n. (pl. -ies) 1 a river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake. 2 hist. a person or State paying or subject to tribute. --adj. 1 (of a river etc.) that is a tributary. 2 hist. a paying tribute. b serving as tribute. øøtributarily adv. tributariness n. [ME f. L tributarius (as TRIBUTE)]

Tributary Trib"u*ta*ry, a. [OE. tributaire, F. tributaire, L. tributarius. See Tribute.] 1. Paying tribute to another, either from compulsion, as an acknowledgment of submission, or to secure protection, or for the purpose of purchasing peace. [Julius] unto Rome made them tributary. --Chaucer. 2. Hence, subject; subordinate; inferior. He to grace his tributary gods. --Milton. 3. Paid in tribute. ``Tributary tears.'' --Shak. 4. Yielding supplies of any kind; serving to form or make up, a greater object of the same kind, as a part, branch, etc.; contributing; as, the Ohio has many tributary streams, and is itself tributary to the Mississippi.

Tributary Trib"u*ta*ry, n.; pl. Tributaries. 1. A ruler or state that pays tribute, or a stated sum, to a conquering power, for the purpose of securing peace and protection, or as an acknowledgment of submission, or for the purchase of security. 2. A stream or river flowing into a larger river or into a lake; an affluent.

tributary a. 1. Paying tribute, subject to tribute. 2. Subject, subordinate, inferior. 3. Paid in tribute. 4. Contributing.

tributary ˈtrɪbjutərɪ n. branch, offshoot, streamlet, feeder, brook, rivulet, run, rill, runnel, runlet, streamlet, Scots and No. Eng. burn, No. Eng. beck, US creek, NE US kill: The Teviot is one of the tributaries of the Tweed.

45 Moby Thesaurus words for "tributary": accessory, affluent, bayou, beck, billabong, branch, brook, burn, client, collateral, confluent, confluent stream, conquered, creek, dendritic drainage pattern, dependent, effluent, feeder, feudal, feudatory, fork, inferior, kill, liege, minor, offshoot, prong, rill, rivulet, run, runlet, runnel, satellite, secondary, servile, streamlet, sub, subdued, subject, subjugated, subordinate, subservient, under, vanquished, vassal