Waterway: meaning, definitions and examples

Use this term for general references to navigable bodies of water, including rivers, canals, and other channels. It's a broad term used in both formal and informal contexts.

• The Mississippi River is a major waterway for transporting goods.
• Many cities developed around significant waterways.

This term is best used for man-made waterways constructed for transportation, irrigation, or drainage purposes. It’s commonly used in both historical and modern contexts.

• The Suez Canal is a vital route for international shipping.
• They built a canal to redirect the river's water to the farms.

This term refers to narrower bodies of water that lie between two land masses or paths taken by water or other fluids in a specific direction. It can be natural or artificial and is often used in geographic and nautical contexts.

• The English Channel separates England from France.
• Boats navigated carefully through the narrow channel.

This term is often used in legal and environmental contexts to refer to any flowing body of water, such as rivers, streams, or brooks. It carries a slightly more technical or formal tone.

• The farmer was fined for diverting a watercourse without permission.
• Several species of fish thrive in the region's natural watercourses.

Typically used to refer to rivers, canals, or any navigable body of water used for travel or transport.

• The Panama Canal is a crucial waterway for international shipping.
• Pollution in the waterway has affected local wildlife.

Commonly refers to the natural or artificial path for water, like rivers, streams, or drainage systems.

• The construction project had to be adjusted to preserve the natural watercourse.
• Heavy rains led to the watercourse overflowing its banks.

Often describes paths taken over water for the purpose of travel, especially when outlining a specific journey or map.

• The captain plotted a new water route to avoid the storm.
• Merchants have been using this ancient water route for centuries.