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Glite Dictionary
Tennessee River

Tennessee River

1 3.7
A major river in the southeastern United States that flows into the Ohio River
  • proper noun
  • /ˌtɛnəˈsiː ˈrɪvər/
translation icon : río Tennessee
  • Various recreational activities, such as kayaking and boating, take place on the Tennessee River throughout the year.

Examples

  • Description: Roomy vinyl siding home on cul-de-sac in the city limits overlooking much more expensive homes on the main channel of the Tennessee River offers water views from every window in the rear of the dwelling.

    Blog text (6)

  • Description: Nicely appointed, second-story condominium within the city limits has two bedrooms and two baths and a beautiful view of the main channel of the Tennessee River just upstream of Chickamauga Dam.

    Blog text (6)

  • The Tennessee River is one of the longest rivers in the southeastern United States, flowing through several states.

  • Many people enjoy fishing along the banks of the Tennessee River, particularly around Chattanooga.

Surface Forms

Tennessee River main

Morphology

Tennessee + river

This is a place-name + common noun compound: a B1 learner who knows 'Tennessee' (a U.S. state) and 'river' (a natural watercourse) will readily understand it denotes a river associated with Tennessee. Toponymic constructions of this type are cross-linguistically common and follow predictable naming patterns, so the meaning is transparent from the parts.

Etymology

Tennessee River may come from a Cherokee village called Tanasi. Early settlers heard that village name and began to call the waterway by it, so today Tennessee River is the name of the large river that runs through the region.