headwaters

IPA/ˈhedwɔːtəz/
KK[hˈɛdwˌɔtɚz]IPA/ˈhedwɔːtərz/

headwaters — noun

1. the small streams of water that join together at the beginning of a river, befor

1.名詞B2
釋義

the small streams of water that join together at the beginning of a river, before the river becomes a single larger flow

例句

The headwaters of the Yangtze River begin high in the Tibetan mountains.

the headwaters of [river name] for locating source

Scientists measured pollution levels in the headwaters to protect the river's health.

同義詞
  • source

    a general term for where a river begins; less specific about the multiple streams aspect

  • spring

    a specific point where water comes out of the ground; not necessarily the whole source area

  • origin

    more formal and abstract; can also mean the beginning of anything, not just rivers

反義詞
  • mouth

    the place where a river meets the sea or a lake

文法句型

the headwaters of [river]

near/in/at the headwaters

用法筆記

Always used in the plural form — you cannot say 'a headwater'. 'The headwaters' refers to the collection of small streams that form a river's source, not a single stream.

常見錯誤

❌The headwater of the river is in the mountains.
✅The headwaters of the river are in the mountains.
💡headwaters is always plural and takes a plural verb.