Definition

Noun: A very small stream of water; a tiny brook or creek. It refers to a narrow, often shallow, natural watercourse that is smaller than a stream.

Usage

The word "rivulet" is used to describe a small, flowing body of water, typically found in natural settings like forests, mountains, or meadows. It emphasizes the small size and gentle flow of the water. It is a descriptive and somewhat literary term.

Examples

• After the heavy rain, a rivulet of water trickled down the side of the path.
• They followed the rivulet through the woods until it joined a larger stream.
• The melting snow created dozens of sparkling rivulets on the mountainside.

Advanced Usage

• Figurative Use: "Rivulet" can be used metaphorically to describe anything that flows in a small, stream-like manner.
  • A rivulet of sweat ran down his temple.
  • The artist painted a rivulet of gold across the dark canvas.

Variants and Related Words

• Rill (noun): An even smaller channel of water than a rivulet; a tiny brook.
• Brook (noun): A small stream. Often interchangeable with "rivulet," though "brook" is more common in everyday speech.
• Streamlet (noun): A synonym for a small stream, very similar in meaning to "rivulet."

Synonyms

• Brook
• Streamlet
• Rill
• Runnel
• Creek (in some contexts, though a creek can be larger)

Antonyms

• River
• Torrent
• Flood

Noun

1. a small stream