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toponymy

American  
[tuh-pon-uh-mee] / təˈpɒn ə mi /

noun

  1. the study of toponyms.

  2. Anatomy. the nomenclature of the regions of the body.

toponymy British  
/ ˌtɒpəˈnɪmɪk, təˈpɒnɪmɪ /

noun

  1. the study of place names

  2. rare the anatomical nomenclature of bodily regions, as distinguished from that of specific organs or structures

"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

Other Word Forms

  • toponymic adjective
  • toponymical adjective

Etymology

Origin of toponymy

1875–80; top- + -onomy, on the model of homonymy, synonymy; -onym, -y 3

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.

There’s even a name for the study of place names: toponymy.

From Washington Post • Apr. 30, 2020

However, the Olympic area has long been the source of cluttered toponymy.

From The Guardian • Aug. 4, 2011

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.