geography
Americannoun
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geographies
plural
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the science dealing with the areal differentiation of the earth's surface, as shown in the character, arrangement, and interrelations over the world of such elements as climate, elevation, soil, vegetation, population, land use, industries, or states, and of the unit areas formed by the complex of these individual elements.
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the study of this science.
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the topographical features of a region, usually of the earth, sometimes of the planets.
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a book dealing with this science or study, as a textbook.
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the arrangement of features of any complex entity.
the geography of the mind.
noun
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the study of the natural features of the earth's surface, including topography, climate, soil, vegetation, etc, and man's response to them
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the natural features of a region
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an arrangement of constituent parts; plan; layout
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The scientific study of the Earth's surface and its various climates, countries, peoples, and natural resources.
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The physical characteristics, especially the surface features, of an area.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of geography
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin geōgraphia, from Greek geōgraphía “earth description”; equivalent to geo- + -graphy
Explanation
Geography is the study of the land and how we use it. A geography lesson about your hometown would teach about the terrain, including any landforms like mountains or waterways, its vegetation, roads and other human-made developments, and its people. Geography means "description of the earth's surface." It is often confused with a related word, geology, which means "study of the earth." Geography is about anything that happens on the ground, or above it, including how people live and use the land, while geology studies the earth's content, like the plates that form it and how they move.
Vocabulary lists containing geography
Elements of the Universe: Geo ("Earth")
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geo
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Geography and Culture (Grade 8)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But if one’s thinking about the geography that much, it means the story isn’t all that compelling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
“The Philippines’ geography is irreplaceable,” said Brian Harding, a former Pentagon official who was part of the early discussions regarding access to Philippine bases during the Obama administration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
First, given its remote geography and the threats it faces on its border, South Korea wasn’t in any position to send much to the Middle East.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
The bizarre geography lesson appeared in student agendas distributed at Farnsley Middle School, part of Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
“I know you like geography, Jax, but the place we’re going to isn’t on any map you’ve ever seen.”
From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott
Chief Executive Jennifer Wong said the results show broad momentum across the business, spanning all geographies, channels and categories.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Aritzia’s ATZ 2.69%increase; up pointing triangle first-quarter profit more than doubled as sales grew across each of its channels and geographies, with the company citing a boost from new store openings and marketing investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Management said that Levi’s customers — across genders and geographies — had remained “resilient,” amid concerns about putting off clothing purchases or waiting for discounts as costs of living rise.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
He was referring to wide-area network, a term for optical networks across large geographies.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026
The extensive region in Southeast Africa was described in the geographies of the middle ages under the name of the empire of Monomotapa.
From The World and Its People: Book VII Views in Africa by Anna B. Badlam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
