A small stream or rivulet, especially one that flows intermittently.
From Old French 'ariet,' a diminutive form related to 'arroyo,' ultimately from Latin 'rivus' meaning stream. The suffix '-et' creates a diminutive sense, suggesting a small watercourse.
This word shows how languages borrow from each other—'arriet' traveled from Latin through French into English, and its Spanish cousin 'arroyo' is still common in the American Southwest where rivers genuinely run small and seasonal.
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