I encountered this word in Merriam-Webster site, and thought it worth a post.
This word has been used many times in AWADtalk. But I wonder how many people are familiar with its etymology. There was a Meander River in Turkey which gave its name as an adjective to describe "S" shaped curves in rivers. Here a URL to a diagram showing how it develops:

http://www.kesgrave.suffolk.sch.uk/Curric/geog/meander.html

I knew about this one - I think it was in Colleen McCullough's books on Rome, someone (maybe Sulla?) goes to talk to the Syrians, and they meet on the banks of the Meander... fabulous word, and fabulous history that we still use it!

I love this word as well, Dr. Bill! It perfectly describes my mushroom hunting style! That and I love to amble. I guess I just don't have that big city hustle. Mexico City has a slew of restaurants with no tables just because everyone is hurrying so much they eat either standing or walk/running.

And one more thing about meandering rivers. As the diagram shows, they keep slowly changing course, and often cut through the narrow strip separating the "S" curves, leaving an isolated part of a circle called an "oxbow" lake. There are many of them in the US.

RE:leaving an isolated part of a circle called an "oxbow" lake. There are many of them in the US.

well, i was taught that meanders and oxbow lakes are charactericts of old rivers.. so you find a lot of them on the Mississippi, and but not so much on the Ohio. (the Ohio river is now part of the Mississippi drainage, but there is lots of geological evidence, that it wasn't always, and that at some time in the past it flowed into great lakes.)

meanders and oxbow lakes are less common in New England, since many of the rivers and river beds moved during last ice age, so many of the rivers are newer-- speaking on a geological time scale.

Meanders and oxbows form chiefly on floodplains of readily eroded soil.

...meanders and oxbow lakes are less common in New England, since many of the rivers and river beds moved during last ice age, so many of the rivers are newer-- speaking on a geological time scale. ~ of troy

Maybe so, of troy, but it shouldn't be so. During ice ages sea levels are lowered some 400 feet. This increases the gradient and rivers would tend to entrench by straight-line downcutting and discharge more directly into a lower, lesser sea.

yeahbut-- most of New England was covered with ice! the rivers were glacial! and there are still many deep U shaped vallies (say the Connecticut river valley!) that are glacial valleys, not just river (V shaped) valleys!

Bottom land is always valuable, and there are many places in NE were the rivers has 1 or 2 miles either side of bottom land.. really broad, U shaped valleys! but oh the hills! and the same glaciers left behind lots of rocks-- the bane of NE farmers!