noun
Common
delta
DEHL-tuh
Delta (noun) means the fan-shaped area of low, often marshy land where a river splits into channels before reaching the sea. Example: “Fishing boats move slowly through the channels of the river delta.”
noun
1
The fan-shaped area of low, often marshy land where a river splits into channels before reaching the sea.
"Fishing boats move slowly through the channels of the river delta."
"The Nile delta supports millions of people through its fertile soil."
"Wildlife thrives in the wetlands of the delta."
2
The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, or, by extension, a small change or difference between two values.
"The delta between the two readings was too small to matter."
"In maths class we used the Greek letter delta to mark a change."
"Engineers tracked the delta between the two test results."
How to use delta
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the triangular land where a river fans out into the sea, or a small measurable difference between two things.
Common pairings
the Mississippi delta
a delta of change
river delta
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- deltas
- Past tense
- deltaed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Fishing boats move slowly through the channels of the river _____.
Etymology
From the Greek letter delta (Δ), whose triangular shape resembles a river delta — itself borrowed from an earlier Phoenician word for "door".
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “delta” mean?
The word “delta” means the fan-shaped area of low, often marshy land where a river splits into channels before reaching the sea. In plain terms, either the triangular land where a river fans out into the sea, or a small measurable difference between two things.
How do you pronounce “delta”?
“Delta” is pronounced DEHL-tuh (/ˈdɛltə/ in IPA).
How do you use “delta” in a sentence?
Here is “delta” used in a sentence: “The Nile delta supports millions of people through its fertile soil.”
What part of speech is “delta”?
“Delta” is a noun.
Where does the word “delta” come from?
The word “delta” comes from Greek. From the Greek letter delta (Δ), whose triangular shape resembles a river delta — itself borrowed from an earlier Phoenician word for "door".
Is “delta” a common word?
“Delta” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “delta” have?
“Delta” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the fan-shaped area of low, often marshy land where a river splits into channels before reaching the sea.
What is the difference between a delta and an estuary?
A delta is the fan-shaped area of low, often marshy land where a river splits into channels before reaching the sea, building up deposited sediment. An estuary is the wider tidal mouth of a river where fresh and salt water mix, and it does not necessarily form the branching, sediment-built shape of a delta.
Why is a river delta called a delta?
A river delta takes its name from the Greek letter delta, whose uppercase form is a triangle (Δ). The fan-shaped, roughly triangular spread of land where a river splits into channels resembles that shape.
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