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Glite Dictionary
Zaire River

Zaire River

7.0
The old name for the Congo River in central Africa that flows to the Atlantic Ocean
  • proper noun
translation icon : río Zaire
  • The Zaire River is one of Africa’s major waterways and supports a vast ecosystem.

Examples

  • The Zaire River is one of the longest rivers in Africa.

  • Many explorers followed the course of the Zaire River to reach the heart of Central Africa.

  • During the 1970s and 1980s, the Zaire River was commonly used in maps and textbooks.

  • Did you know that the Zaire River flows into the Atlantic Ocean?

  • During the 1970s and 1980s, the Zaire River was commonly used in maps and textbooks.

  • Many explorers followed the course of the Zaire River to reach the heart of Central Africa.

  • The Zaire River is one of Africa’s major waterways and supports a vast ecosystem.

Synonyms

Congo River
vsZaire River
1 3.1

A major river in central Africa that flows to the Atlantic Ocean

is the former name previously used for that river
Congo
vsZaire River
2.7

A large river in central Africa that flows into the Atlantic Ocean

is the former name used in the past for that river

Surface Forms

Zaire River main

Morphology

Zaire + river

This is compositionally transparent: a place-name 'Zaire' plus the noun 'river' straightforwardly denotes a river associated with Zaire, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will understand it refers to a river named Zaire. Detailed knowledge that it is the former name of the Congo River is factual/world knowledge beyond constituent meaning, but that does not make the phrase itself opaque.

Etymology

Zaire River may come from a local word nzadi, a name early Portuguese explorers heard that meant 'river that swallows other rivers' because the big river takes in many smaller rivers. So maps and people used the name Zaire River for the Congo River in the past.