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Mobile River

Mobile River

4.4
A river in southwest Alabama that flows into Mobile Bay
  • proper noun
  • /ˈmoʊbəl ˈrɪvər/
translation icon : río Móvil
  • The Mobile River flows through several towns before emptying into Mobile Bay.

Examples

  • The city of Mobile lies on the western bank of the Mobile River.

  • Commercial ships travel up and down the Mobile River to reach the port.

  • The Mobile River delta is home to a rich variety of wildlife.

  • The Mobile River is known for its scenic beauty.

  • Many boats travel along the Mobile River every summer.

  • Thousands of tourists enjoy kayaking on the Mobile River during the summer months.

  • As the sun sets, the view of the Mobile River becomes a stunning spectacle.

Surface Forms

Morphology

Mobile + river

This is a toponymic construction (place-name + river): if a learner recognises 'Mobile' as the city/place-name, the meaning 'the river associated with Mobile' is clear. However, without that place-name knowledge (or if 'mobile' is understood only as the adjective 'able to move') the meaning is not transparently derivable from the constituents, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Mobile River one popular story says its name comes from a Native American group once called the Mobilians, who lived beside the river, so people began to call the water the Mobile river. That's why the river and the nearby city share the name 'Mobile' today.