A winding curve or bend in a river's course, typically found in mature rivers flowing across relatively flat terrain. Rivers naturally develop these serpentine patterns as they erode their banks and deposit sediment.
From the ancient Greek river Maiandros (now Menderes in Turkey), famous for its winding course. The geographical term was first used in English in the 16th century, later extending to mean any winding path or indirect route.
The more a river meanders, the longer its actual course becomes compared to a straight line - the Mississippi River flows 2,320 miles from source to mouth, but the straight-line distance is only about 1,100 miles! Satellite images reveal that meandering rivers create beautiful mathematical patterns that follow fluid dynamics principles.
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