geography

noun

ge·​og·​ra·​phy jē-ˈä-grə-fē How to pronounce geography (audio)
plural geographies
Synonyms of geography
1
: a science that deals with the description, distribution, and interaction of the diverse physical, biological, and cultural features of the earth's surface
2
: the geographic features of an area
3
: a treatise on geography
4
a
: a delineation or systematic arrangement of constituent elements : configuration
The philosophers … have tried to construct geographies of human reason …—Times Literary Supplement
b
: makeup sense 1
her emotional geography

Synonyms of geography

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Examples of geography in a Sentence

studying the geography of the western United States the geography of the region matches ancient descriptions of the location of the lost city
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The geography of the Hamptons encompasses various hamlets and villages, each with their own distinct charm and reputation. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026 Cinema has lately exhausted the emotional mileage of the Ukraine–EU border, but one wittily choreographed setpiece involving the couple’s border crossing finds in transition an ingenious point of convergence between gender and geography. — Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 The geography and framing of the half confirm the concentration. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Grocery chains, specialty markets and big-box retailers can offer a starting point, but their selections are limited by shelf space, geography and local demand. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for geography

Word History

Etymology

Latin geographia, from Greek geōgraphia, from geōgraphein to describe the earth's surface, from geō- + graphein to write — more at carve

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of geography was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing geography

Rhymes for geography

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Browse Nearby Words

geographize
geography
geography cone
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Cite this Entry

“Geography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geography. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

geography

noun
ge·​og·​ra·​phy jē-ˈäg-rə-fē How to pronounce geography (audio)
plural geographies
1
: a science that deals with the location of living and nonliving things on earth and the way they affect one another
2
: the natural parts of an area
the geography of the western U.S.
geographer
-fər
noun
geographic
ˌjē-ə-ˈgraf-ik
adjective
or geographical
-i-kəl
geographically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

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