、·Stream:the most general word in this group, embracing all the other terms in its meaning. A creek:a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river).. A brook:a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river). A river:a large stream of water that discharges into a larger body of water such as a sea,a lake,or another stream. • Stream: the most general word in this group, embracing all the other terms in its meaning. • A creek: a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river).. • A brook: a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river). • A river: a large stream of water that discharges into a larger body of water such as a sea, a lake, or another stream