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:
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
"What is needed is basin-scale planning," Sahariah says, along with greater coordination between states and better understanding of the rivers' changing geography.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
More than 200 parameters go into creating the “perfect Pringle,” from the flour’s particle size and the dough’s humidity to the geography where the potatoes were harvested, according to Laenen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Taiwan's geography helps explain why trees of this size can grow there.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
As was customary in their nineteen years of marriage, he left the grits on his plate untouched, an unexpressed but articulate declaration, rooted in geography, that the society he married into had not assimilated him.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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
Diversification in the tech sector is not about different geographies, sizes and business models.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
JetBlue Airways said it is seeing strong demand across all geographies and cabins even as surging fuel costs force airlines to raise prices and cut routes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
The two dominant European utilities by market capitalization, Iberdrola and Enel, are integrated giants across the supply chain and geographies.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
Here he brought together skilled navigators, charts, and geographies, and all scientific knowledge that would assist in his undertaking.1 He began to construct ships larger and better than any in use.
From A History of the Philippines by David P. Barrows
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.
