geoid
an imaginary surface that coincides with mean sea level in the ocean and its extension through the continents.
the geometric figure formed by this surface, an ellipsoid flattened at the poles.
Origin of geoid
1Other words from geoid
- ge·oi·dal, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for geoid
/ (ˈdʒiːɔɪd) /
a hypothetical surface that corresponds to mean sea level and extends at the same level under the continents
the shape of the earth
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for geoid
[ jē′oid′ ]
The hypothetical surface of the Earth that coincides everywhere with mean sea level and is perpendicular, at every point, to the direction of gravity. The geoid is used as a reference surface for astronomical measurements and for the accurate measurement of elevations on the Earth's surface.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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