English Reference

Word

hydrology

Phoneticshy·drol·o·gy

UK/haɪdɹˈɒlədʒi/

Definition

n. the study of how water moves on, under, and around the Earth. It looks at things like rivers, lakes, and how water travels through soil.

n. the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and in the hydrosphere. It encompasses the physical and chemical properties of water and its interactions with the environment.

Examples

“The university offers a degree in hydrology.”

“Hydrology is essential for predicting how heavy rainfall will affect local rivers and flood plains.”

Examples

simple

“The university offers a degree in hydrology.”

contextual

“Hydrology is essential for predicting how heavy rainfall will affect local rivers and flood plains.”

Real-World Examples

“Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology feeds rainfall and river levels to India's Central Water Commission, which uses them for flood forecasts.”
BBC News · 3 Sept 2026

Etymology

From hydro- + -ology.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference