Meaning & use
headwaters
Last updated
The source or upper reaches of a river or stream, where it originates.
See it in a sentence
The expedition traced the river back to its headwaters high in the mountains.
Pollution near the headwaters can affect water quality for hundreds of miles downstream.
A note on using this word
Headwaters is typically used in the plural, referring collectively to the smaller streams that feed into a larger river.
Words with a similar meaning
source
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
mouth
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