Meander

Meander is a term used in geography to describe a broad, sinuous bend or series of bends in a river or stream. Meanders form in zones of low gradient where thick, mobile sediment on the outer bank is eroded by flowing water, while slower-moving water on the inner bank deposits sediment, creating looping channels. Over time, loops widen and migrate downstream; when a river cuts through a neck of a loop, a cutoff can occur and an oxbow lake may be left behind. Meanders are common in floodplains and can indicate river maturity and sediment supply.

The word originates from the River Meander in western Anatolia (now the Büyük Menderes River) and from the Greek Maiandros. The term was adopted in geology to denote looping channels. The word also names a decorative motif in ancient Greek art, known as the meander or Greek fret, a continuous line formed into a series of right-angled turns. This motif appears on pottery, mosaics, and architectural friezes and remains a common border pattern in decorative arts.

In everyday language, meander can also be a verb meaning to wander without fixed direction, or to progress or move in a winding, indirect course. In prose or speech, to meander is to follow a circuitous path rather than a straight line; the term is often used for roads, rivers, and narrative.