a low triangular area of alluvial deposits where a river divides before entering a larger body of water
"the Mississippi River delta"
"the Nile delta"
an object shaped like an equilateral triangle
"The artist carefully cut a perfect delta of paper to serve as the kite's tail."
the 4th letter of the Greek alphabet
"The professor wrote a delta on my exam paper to indicate I should try harder next time."
The fourth letter of the modern Greek alphabet Δ, δ.
"After earning my CELTA last year, I decided to pursue a Delta to further specialize and qualify for senior teaching roles abroad."
The Delta variant of COVID-19.
Acronym of Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, an advanced qualification to teach English, higher than the CELTA, accredited by the University of Cambridge.
In plain English: A delta is a triangular area of land formed where a river meets an ocean or lake.
"The river forms a large delta where it empties into the sea."
Usage: As a common noun, delta refers to the triangular-shaped deposit of sediment at the mouth of a river where it enters a larger body of water. Do not use this word to describe an advanced teaching qualification, which is instead known as DELTA and stands for Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
The fourth letter of the modern Greek alphabet Δ, δ.
"The teacher asked the students to write out every letter of the Greek alphabet, including delta, on their worksheets."
In plain English: To delta something is to change it by adding or removing parts of it.
"The river deltaed into three separate channels before reaching the ocean."
Usage: When used as a verb in everyday contexts, "to delta" means to form or shape something into a triangular pattern, often referring to sediment deposition at a river mouth. It is rarely used outside of technical geography or engineering discussions and should not be confused with the Greek letter itself.
A census-designated place and unincorporated community in Clay County, Alabama.
"Residents of Delta often attend local events at the county fair in Clay County."
The word "delta" comes from Ancient Greek, where it originally referred to a door. It is named for the triangular shape of the Greek letter Delta, which resembles the river delta formed by a river splitting into branches.