topography

to·pog·ra·phy

noun \tə-ˈpä-grə-fē\

Definition of TOPOGRAPHY

1

a : the art or practice of graphic delineation in detail usually on maps or charts of natural and man-made features of a place or region especially in a way to show their relative positions and elevations b : topographical surveying

2

a : the configuration of a surface including its relief and the position of its natural and man-made features b : the physical or natural features of an object or entity and their structural relationships <the topography of human chromosomes> <the political topography of our time>

Examples of TOPOGRAPHY

1. <a map of the topography of the coastline shows a significant loss of wetlands>

Origin of TOPOGRAPHY

Middle English topographie, from Late Latin topographia, from Greek, from topographein to describe a place, from topos place + graphein to write — more at carve

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to TOPOGRAPHY

Synonyms: chorography, geomorphology, landscape, terrain, geography

Related Words: scenery; ground, land, landform, terrane, terrene

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Other Cartography Terms

Robinson projection, benchmark, plat, projection

Rhymes with TOPOGRAPHY

autography, cacography, cartography, chorography, chronography, cosmography, cryptography, demography, discography, ethnography, filmography, geography, holography, lithography, lymphography, mammography, mythography, nomography, orthography, phonography, photography, pictography, planography, pornography, reprography, sonography, stenography, thermography, tomography, typography, venography, xerography, xylography