What does "hydrology" mean?

The science of the properties, distribution, and effects of water on a planet's surface, in the soil and underlying rocks, and in the atmosphere

What is a synonym for "hydrology"?

Common synonyms include: hydraulics, hydrodynamics, hydromechanics, hydrostatics.

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
The science of the properties, distribution, and effects of water on a planet's surface, in the soil and underlying rocks, and in the atmosphere uncountable, usually
2
the branch of geology that studies water on the earth and in the atmosphere: its distribution and uses and conservation wordnet
3
The properties, distribution, and flows of water in a specific locale; the hydrological characteristics of a particular place or region. uncountable, usually
"Excessively high floods may be caused by obstructions which were not noted by the observer subsequently removed. Information of this kind is necessary, but it is equally necessary that something of the local hydrology should be also known and applied."

"When trees die, the ecology and hydrology of a forest change, which in turn promotes insect infestation and fire."

From hydro- + -ology.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.