River vs. Estuary — What's the Difference?

A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of water.

An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea.Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an example of an ecotone. Estuaries are subject both to marine influences such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water and to riverine influences such as flows of freshwater and sediment.

A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river

The part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides.

Abbr. R. A large natural stream of water emptying into an ocean, lake, or other body of water and usually fed along its course by converging tributaries.

An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.

A stream or abundant flow

A coastal water body where ocean tides and river water merge, resulting in a brackish water zone.

The fifth and last of the community cards in various poker games, especially Texas hold'em.

An ocean inlet also fed by fresh river water.

To win a hand in poker by beating (someone) on the basis of the last community card that is turned up.

A place where water boils up; a spring that wells forth.

A large and often winding stream which drains a land mass, carrying water down from higher areas to a lower point, oftentimes ending in another body of water, such as an ocean or in an inland sea.

A passage, as the mouth of a river or lake, where the tide meets the current; an arm of the sea; a frith.

Any large flow of a liquid in a single body.

Belonging to, or formed in, an estuary; as, estuary strata.

(poker) The last card dealt in a hand.

The wide part of a river where it nears the sea; fresh and salt water mix

(typography) A visually undesirable effect of white space running down a page, caused by spaces between words on consecutive lines happening to coincide.

One who rives or splits.

(poker) To improve one’s hand to beat another player on the final card in a poker game.

One who rives or splits.

A large stream of water flowing in a bed or channel and emptying into the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream; a stream larger than a rivulet or brook.

Fig.: A large stream; copious flow; abundance; as, rivers of blood; rivers of oil.

To hawk by the side of a river; to fly hawks at river fowl.

A large natural stream of water (larger than a creek);