Confluence
noun /ˈkɒnflʊəns/ — The meeting of two rivers; the coming together of forces.
Definition
The junction of two rivers, especially near the sea; the point at which tributaries meet; more broadly, a coming together or merging of any forces, people, or events.
Beyond the definition
A physical confluence — where two rivers meet — is one of the most visually striking natural events. You can sometimes see the two bodies of water maintaining their distinct colors for miles before fully mixing. Metaphorically, a confluence of circumstances is what happens when several forces arrive at the same point simultaneously and produce something new.
Origin & history
From Latin confluere (to flow together), from con- (together) + fluere (to flow). Used literally for rivers since the 15th century; adopted metaphorically for any merging of forces.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The cafe sat at the confluence of two neighbourhoods, catching the character of both.
At the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi, you can see both rivers maintaining their distinct colours.
The revolution was made possible by a confluence of economic crisis, political failure, and mass communication.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Confluence” when the meaning fits your context: The junction of two rivers, especially near the sea; the point at which tributaries meet; more broadly, a coming together or merging of any forces, people, or events.
Synonyms
meeting point, junction, convergence, merging
Antonyms
divergence, separation, source
Related words
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
Two rivers meeting is usually anticlimactic — a line of brown water folding into another, the colours mixing slowly downstream. But at the meeting of the Rhône and the Saône in Lyon, something different happens.
The Rhône is fast, grey-green, cold from the Alps. The Saône is slower, warmer, darker. At the point they join, you can see both rivers for a hundred metres downstream — distinct colours, distinct speeds, reluctant to merge.
A local guide had been showing visitors this spot for forty years. "They are the same river," he said, "but they remember where they came from. For a while, that memory is visible." Then the memory disappears.
Questions about this word
What does "Confluence" mean?
Confluence is noun meaning: The meeting of two rivers; the coming together of forces.. The junction of two rivers, especially near the sea; the point at which tributaries meet; more broadly, a coming together or merging of any forces, people, or events.
Where does the word "Confluence" come from?
From Latin confluere (to flow together), from con- (together) + fluere (to flow). Used literally for rivers since the 15th century; adopted metaphorically for any merging of forces.