topographic

American  

[top-uh-graf-ik] / ˌtɒp əˈgræf ɪk /

Also topographical

adjective

1. of or relating to the topography or surface features of a relatively small area or locality; showing or describing these features.

   Trail Guides offer info on hiking trails, with a topographic map on one side and trail details on the back.

2. of, relating to, or describing the features, relations, or configuration of a structural entity, as of the mind, a field of study, etc..

   Large color drawings show the topographic anatomy of the entire body, including the bones, muscles, organs, blood vessels, nerves, and lymph nodes.

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Other Word Forms

• nontopographical adjective
• nontopographically adverb
• topographically adverb
• untopographical adjective
• untopographically adverb

Etymology

Origin of topographic

First recorded in 1610–20; from Greek topographikós “pertaining to topography”; see topography ( def. ), -ic

Explanation

Anything topographic has to do with the surface of the earth, including every valley and hill. A topographic map includes lines that show the elevation of the land. Topographic comes from the Greek topographia, "a description of a place," from topos ("place") and -graphia ("description of"). Topographic maps give the most detailed view of an area, including not only place names and borders between states and countries, but also the shapes and heights of mountains, and even the depth of the ocean. Some topographic globes even have ridges and bumps you can feel with your fingers, a reminder that the earth isn't smooth and flat.

Example Sentences

You can clearly see these on a topographic map as circles or ovals that have small lines pointing to the center of the circle or oval.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 5, 2024

Specially equipped planes beamed laser pulses into the forest and measured their return path, revealing topographic features otherwise invisible under the trees.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 10, 2024

They combined data on the ecosystems' current sizes and distributions with topographic data, and applied a global climate model to calculate potential changes through 2100.

From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2023

But such effects depend in part on the specifics of mountain ranges and other topographic features that are essentially impossible to predict.

From Scientific American • Oct. 17, 2023

The topographic maps are folded and put in a waterproof holder, then placed in a pocket of the fishing jacket he’s wearing.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George