What is "river god"

River \Riv"er\, n. [F. riv[`e]re a river, LL. riparia river, bank of a river, fr. L. riparius belonging to a bank or shore, fr. ripa a bank or shore; of uncertain origin. Cf. Arrive, Riparian.]

1. A large stream of water flowing in a bed or channel and emptying into the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream; a stream larger than a rivulet or brook.

   Transparent and sparkling rivers, from which it is delightful to drink as they flow.
   --Macaulay.

2. Fig.: A large stream; copious flow; abundance; as, rivers of blood; rivers of oil. River chub (Zo["o]l.), the hornyhead and allied species of fresh-water fishes. River crab (Zo["o]l.), any species of fresh-water crabs of the genus Thelphusa, as Thelphusa depressa of Southern Europe. River dragon, a crocodile; -- applied by Milton to the king of Egypt. River driver, a lumberman who drives or conducts logs down rivers. --Bartlett. River duck (Zo["o]l.), any species of duck belonging to Anas, Spatula, and allied genera, in which the hind toe is destitute of a membranous lobe, as in the mallard and pintail; -- opposed to sea duck. River god, a deity supposed to preside over a river as its tutelary divinity. River herring (Zo["o]l.), an alewife. River hog. (Zo["o]l.)

   1. Any species of African wild hogs of the genus Potamoch[oe]rus. They frequent wet places along the rivers.

   2. The capybara.

      River horse (Zo["o]l.), the hippopotamus.

      River jack (Zo["o]l.), an African puff adder ( Clotho nasicornis) having a spine on the nose.

      River limpet (Zo["o]l.), a fresh-water, air-breathing mollusk of the genus Ancylus, having a limpet-shaped shell.

      River pirate (Zo["o]l.), the pike.

      River snail (Zo["o]l.), any species of fresh-water gastropods of Paludina, Melontho, and allied genera. See Pond snail, under Pond.

      River tortoise (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous fresh-water tortoises inhabiting rivers, especially those of the genus Trionyx and allied genera. See Trionyx.

n. (context mythology English) The tutelary deity of a river.

River God is a novel by author Wilbur Smith. It tells the story of the talented eunuch slave Taita, his life in Egypt, the flight of Taita along with the Egyptian populace from the Hyksos invasion, and their eventual return. The novel can be grouped together with Wilbur Smith's other books ( The Seventh Scroll, Warlock, The Quest and Desert God) on Ancient Egypt. It was first published in 1994.