Colorado River
/ˌkɒl.əˈrɑː.doʊ ˈrɪv.ər/noun
A major river of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico that flows into the Gulf of California.
Did you know?Spanish explorers named the river Río Colorado because its muddy, sediment-rich waters appeared reddish, and the name later became Colorado’s state name.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kel-
“To cover or conceal; a proposed deeper root connected with the idea of outward appearance or coloring.”
Classical Latin
Latin
color
“Color, complexion, or appearance.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
coloratus
“Colored or having a particular color.”
Medieval Spanish
Spanish
colorado
“Colored red, reddish, or flushed.”
16th Century
Spanish
Río Colorado
“The red-colored river; a name applied by Spanish explorers to the sediment-laden river.”
Modern English
English
Colorado River
“The established English name of the river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.”