North Platte River

4.5

A river in central United States that starts in Colorado and joins the South Platte to form the Platte River

proper noun

: río North Platte

Heavy snowfall in the Rockies often leads to high water levels in the North Platte River.

Examples

The North Platte River is a popular spot for fishing.
The North Platte River passes through three different states before joining the South Platte River.
Fishing along the North Platte River is popular with both locals and tourists.
Have you ever visited the North Platte River?
The North Platte River winds through the scenic landscapes of Wyoming and Nebraska.
Many campers enjoy fishing along the banks of the North Platte River during the summer.
In the spring, the North Platte River flows rapidly due to the melting snow in the mountains.

Synonyms

North Platte

vsNorth Platte River

5.6

A river in western US starting in Colorado and joining the South Platte in Nebraska to form the Platte

is the full official name including the word river

Surface Forms

North Platte River main

Morphology

North + Platte + river

The phrase is a straightforward toponym: 'North' (cardinal direction) + 'Platte' (the river's name) + 'river' (watercourse), so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it refers to the northern branch or part of the Platte River. Such cardinal-direction + place-name constructions are cross-linguistically common in naming rivers and places, making the meaning immediately derivable though exact geographic knowledge is extra information.

Etymology

North Platte River comes from French fur trappers who called the river 'la Platte' meaning 'flat' because the river is wide and not very deep. The word North simply shows this is the northern branch of the Platte, so the name tells you it is the north branch of the 'flat' river.