I. (ˈ)kän|flüənt, kənˈf- adjective
Etymology: Latin confluent-, confluens, present participle of confluere to flow together, from com- + fluere to flow — more at fluent
1. : flowing together : meeting or coming together : combining to form one
confluent streams
confluent glaciers
confluent veins
— opposed to diffluent
2. medicine
a. : running or run together : united
confluent pustules
b. : characterized by confluent lesions
confluent smallpox
— compare discrete 1b
3. : coming together smoothly without a notch at the point of junction
confluent dorsal fins of certain fishes
II. noun
( -s )
: a confluent stream ; broadly : affluent , tributary