geology

American  

[jee-ol-uh-jee] / dʒiˈɒl ə dʒi /

noun

plural

geologies

1. 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.

2. the study of this science.

3. 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.

---

geology British  

/ dʒɪˈɒlədʒɪ, ˌdʒɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

1. the scientific study of the origin, history, structure, and composition of the earth

2. the geological features of a district or country

---

geology Scientific  

/ jē-ŏl′ə-jē /

1. 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.

2. The structure of a specific region of the Earth, including its rocks, soils, mountains, fossils, and other features.

---

geology Cultural  

1. The science devoted to the study of the Earth, particularly the solid Earth and the rocks that compose it.

---

Other Word Forms

• geological adjective
• geologically adverb
• geologist noun

Etymology

Origin of geology

First recorded in 1680–90; geo- + -logy

Example Sentences

Most of the vast island is frozen and with challenging geology.

From The Wall Street Journal

The geology, management and luck vary wildly from one outfit to the next.

From MarketWatch

Although the site is remarkable for both its geology and its biology, it faces significant risks.

From Science Daily

“The geology doesn’t just stop at the border.”

From The Wall Street Journal

It also contains the location where the founder of modern geology James Hutton arrived at his theory of how and when the world was formed.

From BBC

Related Words

• earth science
• geopolitics
• topography