river rat
- noun
- /ˈrɪvər ræt/
- Informal
:
rata de río
- He spent his childhood as a river rat, always exploring the banks and swimming in the currents.
Examples
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She proudly calls herself a river rat after years of canoeing and fishing adventures.
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The local river rats know every bend and rapid along this stretch of the river.
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Jake is a true river rat!
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Many river rats enjoy kayaking on weekends.
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After years of kayaking and fishing, she proudly identifies as a river rat who loves spending time on the water.
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The group of local river rats gathers every summer to explore the many trails and hidden spots along the riverbank.
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Growing up near the lake, he became a true river rat, always ready for an adventure in or around the water.
Synonyms
A person who likes being in water or on a boat
Surface Forms
Morphology
river + rat
The compound combines the literal noun 'river' with 'rat' used metaphorically to label a person associated with an environment; a learner who knows both words can plausibly infer it means someone who spends a lot of time by rivers. However, the use of an animal name as a social label and the affectionate/pejorative nuance are not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
River rat may have started as a simple idea: people who live or play by a river move like a small, quick rat along the banks and in the plants. So the name came to mean 'a person who spends a lot of time near rivers or enjoys activities on or around water'.
