Topography
//təˈpɒɡɹəfi// noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A precise description of a place. countable, uncountable
- 2 the configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made and natural features wordnet
- 3 A detailed graphic representation of the surface features of a place or object. countable, uncountable
- 4 precise detailed study of the surface features of a region wordnet
- 5 The features themselves. countable, uncountable
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- 6 The surveying of the features. countable, uncountable
- 7 A figurative landscape; a structure of interrelated ideas, etc. broadly, countable, uncountable
"With good humor if predictably, the emotional topography of the faire facilitates a kind of liberation from both the closet and the cruelty of high school cliquedom."
Example
More examples"It's easy to see the area's majestic topography from the cockpit of a helicopter."
Etymology
First attested in 1432. From Middle English topographye, from Latin topographia, from Ancient Greek τοπογραφία (topographía), from τόπος (tópos, “place”) + γράφω (gráphō, “I write”).
Related phrases
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.