topography
- 01 C1 Advanced
the shape of the land, including its height and the position of things like hills and rivers.
the physical features of an area of land, specifically its relief and the position of natural and man-made elements.
Simple“The steep topography of the island made it difficult to build new roads.”
In context“The rugged topography of the region presented significant challenges for the engineers tasked with designing the high-speed rail link.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
the science of mapping or describing the surface features of a place.
the detailed mapping or charting of the features of a relatively small area, district, or locality.
Simple“The hikers used a map that showed the topography of the mountain range.”
In context“Advanced satellite imaging has allowed for the precise topography of the ocean floor to be mapped in unprecedented detail.”
Synonymscartographysurveying - 03 C2 Proficiency
the way different ideas or parts of a situation are organized.
a figurative representation of the structure or arrangement of a complex entity or field of study.
Simple“The book explores the changing topography of modern politics.”
In context“The essay examines the shifting topography of social media and its impact on contemporary political discourse.”
“Experts say the risk of such events is compounded by the extreme topography of the Himalayas.”
“Pettitt wrote that there was “no clearer example of the interaction between cave topography, shadow and art in the Paleolithic use of deep caves.” But Garate wasn’t sure the effect was intentional.”
First attested in 1432. From Middle English topographye, from Latin topographia, from Ancient Greek τοπογραφία (topographía), from τόπος (tópos, “place”) + γράφω (gráphō, “I write”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.