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Glite Dictionary
Detroit River

Detroit River

2.3
A short river between the United States and Canada that flows from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie
  • proper noun
  • /dɪˈt rɔɪt ˈrɪvər/
translation icon : río Detroit
  • The Detroit River separates the United States and Canada, providing a beautiful view along its banks.
  • bridge over the Detroit River

Examples

  • Many people enjoy boating and fishing on the Detroit River during the summer months.

  • The Detroit River forms part of the international boundary between Michigan and Ontario.

  • Cargo ships travel along the Detroit River every day, carrying goods between the Great Lakes.

  • Many species of fish can be found in the waters of the Detroit River.

  • The Detroit River separates the U.S. and Canada.

  • Many tourists enjoy boating on the Detroit River.

  • Annual events such as theGreat Lakes powerboat racing take place on the Detroit River.

Surface Forms

Detroit River main

Morphology

Detroit + river

The phrase is fully compositional: 'Detroit' names a place and 'river' denotes a watercourse, so a learner who knows both words will readily infer it refers to a river associated with Detroit. This place-name + geographic feature pattern is cross-linguistically common, making the meaning transparent even though it is a proper noun.

Etymology

Detroit River comes from the French word détroit. Early French explorers called the narrow waterway 'a strait' or 'a narrow passage', so the name shows that this river is a narrow channel connecting two lakes.