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Glite Dictionary
Russian River

Russian River

4.6
A river in northern California flowing to the Pacific, with vineyards and recreation
  • proper noun
  • /ˈrʌʃən ˈrɪvər/
translation icon : Río Ruso
  • The Russian River is a popular destination for kayaking during the summer months.
  • Russian River Valley
  • Russian River Jazz Festival
  • Russian River in Sonoma County

Examples

  • Heavy rains caused the Russian River to flood its surrounding areas last winter.

  • Many vineyards line the banks of the Russian River in Sonoma County.

  • The Russian River is a popular spot for kayaking.

  • Many tourists visit the Russian River for wine tasting.

  • On a hot day on the Russian River, you can drift, ideally with one hand trailing idly in the cool water.

  • Soon we hit the Russian River where it makes its sharp turn west through the Coast Range, cutting a meandering gorge.

  • The Inn is located in the Russian River Valley, only eight miles from the roiling Pacific.

Surface Forms

Russian River main

Morphology

Russian + river

The compound is a straightforward adjectival name: 'Russian' modifies 'river', so a learner who knows both words will understand it denotes a river associated with Russians (i.e., a river called 'Russian River'). Although the specific referent (that it is a river in northern California) is encyclopedic knowledge beyond the words themselves, the basic compositional meaning is immediately clear.

Etymology

Russian River likely got its name when Russian fur traders and settlers set up camps along the river, so local people began calling it the 'Russian River'.