Tributary (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Paying tribute; "a tributary colony".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The small kingdom was a tributary state to the powerful empire, forced to pay annual taxes and provide military support.
- The vassal lord was required to send a tributary payment to his overlord each year as a symbol of fealty.
- The conquered territory was reduced to a tributary province, its people subjected to heavy taxation and imperial control.
- The tiny nation was forced to become a tributary power, ceding control of its foreign policy to the dominant world power.
- As a tributary state, the kingdom was required to send a delegation to the imperial court to offer gifts and pay homage to the emperor.
Meaning 2
(of a stream) flowing into a larger stream.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The tributary river flowed gently into the main river, providing a serene spot for canoeing.
- Several small, tributary streams fed into the reservoir, helping to keep the water level stable.
- The hikers followed the tributary creek to its confluence with the larger river, where they set up camp.
- After heavy rainfall, the tributary brook swelled with water, overflowing its banks into the surrounding fields.
- The mapping team carefully charted the tributary streams that flowed into the major lake.
Meaning 3
Tending to bring about; being partly responsible for; "working conditions are not conducive to productivity"; "the seaport was a contributing factor in the growth of the city"; "a contributory factor".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- High humidity is a tributary factor to the spread of mold and mildew.
- The weak roof structure was a tributary cause of the building's collapse during the storm.
- Unsecured loads can be a tributary factor to accidents on the road.
- The lack of fresh water was a tributary reason for the decline of the ancient civilization.
- Pollution from the river's tributary streams contributed to the decline of aquatic life in the main waterway.