geology
Americannoun
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geologies
plural
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the science that deals with the dynamics and physical history of the earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the physical, chemical, and biological changes that the earth has undergone or is undergoing.
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the study of this science.
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the geologic features and processes occurring in a given region on the earth or on a celestial body.
the geology of Mars; the geology of eastern Kentucky.
noun
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the scientific study of the origin, history, structure, and composition of the earth
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the geological features of a district or country
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The scientific study of the origin of the Earth along with its rocks, minerals, land forms, and life forms, and of the processes that have affected them over the course of the Earth's history.
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The structure of a specific region of the Earth, including its rocks, soils, mountains, fossils, and other features.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of geology
Explanation
Geology is the study of the Earth and what it's made of, including its natural history. Just as biology is the study of earth's life forms, geology is the study of the earth itself. Geology tells us where lakes once were, where volcanoes erupted, where glaciers pushed up mountains and then melted. Geologists — people who study geology — tell us where to find oil, coal and diamonds and then they explain how they got there. If you find the natural world beautiful and interesting, you might enjoy studying geology.
Vocabulary lists containing geology
Power Suffix: -ology
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Elements of the Universe: Geo ("Earth")
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Earth Science - Middle School
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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:
As a young man Trautman led a peripatetic life, studying geology and working in bookstores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
"The North Sea oil and gas industry started on the UK side. We learned from the UK and it's actually the same geology on both sides of the border - several fields actually cross it."
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
If the surrounding geology had been responsible for changing their molecular composition, the two species would have been expected to produce similar temperature readings, Eagle said.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
While the Moon has numerous craters, many of which are far bigger than McGetchin, researching a crater's formation in real time can help build understanding of the Moon's geology.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Just occasionally am I permitted an appreciative glimpse into the wonder that is geology, and such a place is the Delaware Water Gap.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
“We use the same geologies that have kept hydrocarbons underground for millions of years,” said Julia Reichelstein, the company’s cofounder and CEO.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2024
They range from ‘super-Earths’ with bizarre geologies and ‘mini-Neptunes’ with gassy atmospheres to ‘hot Jupiters,’ huge planets whirling close to their blazing stars.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 18, 2023
Reservoirs with high fracture density and connectivity, like the complicated geologies found in real-world settings, could provide even better results, the scientists said.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2023
Older geologies are exposed, from which billions of years of history can be deduced.
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 29, 2019
Take the mythic cosmogonies of ancient Greece, Scandinavia, and India, and the geologies and astronomies of the present day, and compare their pages, changing things personal into things impersonal.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 15, January, 1859 by Various
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.
