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Tributary vs Cataract - What's the difference?

tributary | cataract |

As nouns the difference between tributary and cataract

is that tributary is (senseid) a natural water stream that flows into a larger river or other body of water while cataract is (obsolete) a waterspout.

As an adjective tributary

is related to the paying of tribute.

tributary

English

(wikipedia tributary)

Noun

(tributaries)
  • (senseid) A natural water stream that flows into a larger river or other body of water.
  • A nation, state, or other entity that pays tribute.

    • Quotations

    ; nation paying tribute * 1602 : , act V scene 2 *: As England was his faithful tributary .

    Synonyms

    *(stream which flows into a larger one) affluent

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Related to the paying of tribute.
  • subordinate; inferior
  • * Milton
    • to grace his tributary gods
  • Yielding supplies of any kind; serving to form or make up, a greater object of the same kind, as a part, branch, etc.; contributing.
    • The Ohio has many tributary''' streams, and is itself '''tributary to the Mississippi.

    Related terms

    * tribute

    cataract

    English

    (wikipedia cataract)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A waterspout
  • A large waterfall; steep rapids in a river.
    • ''The cataracts on the Nile helped compartiment Upper Egypt
  • A flood of water (rfex)
  • An overwhelming downpour or rush
    • ''His cataract of eloquence
  • (pathology) A disease of the eye causing its opacity and, unless treated, leading to blindness.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1999 , author=J J Gallo, J Busby-Whitehead, W Reichel, P V Rabins, R A Silliman , title=Reichel's care of the elderly , chapter= citation , isbn= , page=563 , passage=Rarely, a dense, swollen neglected cataract precipitates an angle-closure glaucoma.}}

    Derived terms

    * cataractal