downstream-migrating
|down-stream-mi-gra-ting|
/ˈdaʊn.striːm ˈmaɪ.ɡreɪ.tɪŋ/
(downstream-migrate)
moving toward lower reaches
Etymology
'downstream-migrating' is a compound of 'downstream' + the present participle of 'migrate'. 'downstream' itself is from 'down' + 'stream' (Old English elements), and 'migrate' originates from Latin 'migrare'.
'migrate' comes from Latin 'migrare' meaning 'to move from one place to another', passed into Late Latin and Old French (e.g. 'migrer') before entering English as 'migrate'. 'downstream' is a modern compound formed from 'down' (Old English 'dūn' or directional use of 'down') + 'stream' (Old English 'stream'). The compound usage 'downstream' + gerund/participle to form descriptive compounds (e.g. 'downstream-migrating') is a productive modern English formation.
Initially, 'migrate' meant 'to move from one place to another (often seasonally)'; combined with 'downstream' it now specifically conveys movement toward the lower reaches of a watercourse or the sea: 'moving downstream'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
present participle form of 'downstream-migrate': to move or migrate in a downstream direction, often used for fish or other aquatic organisms.
Researchers recorded several trout downstream-migrating after the seasonal floods.
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Adjective 1
describing organisms or objects that are migrating or moving in a downstream direction (toward lower reaches of a river or toward the mouth).
The downstream-migrating juvenile salmon are more susceptible to predation near the estuary.
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Last updated: 2025/09/23 19:07