Final answer:
An oxbow is an abandoned, cutoff meander loop in a river. It is formed when a meandering river takes a shorter path, leaving behind a curved section of the river known as an oxbow.
Step-by-step explanation:
An oxbow is an abandoned, cutoff meander loop in a river. It is formed when a meandering river takes a shorter path, leaving behind a curved section of the river known as an oxbow. Over time, sediment deposits and erosion can cause the oxbow to become completely cut off from the main river channel.
For example, imagine a river that bends in a sweeping curve. As the river flows, erosion on the outer curve of the bend causes the curve to become larger and larger. Eventually, the river takes a shorter, straighter path across the inner part of the curve, leaving behind an oxbow lake or oxbow river.