topography
noun
Simple meaning
The configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made and natural features.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
tuhpahgruhfeeSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
təˈpɑɡɹəfi
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made and natural features
“The steep topography of the region makes road construction difficult.”
Precise detailed study of the surface features of a region
A detailed graphic representation of the surface features of a place or object.
A precise description of a place.
The features themselves.
by extension
A figurative landscape; a structure of interrelated ideas, etc.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The configuration of a surface and the relations among its man-made and natural features
Used this way, topography is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The steep topography of the region makes road construction difficult.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “topography of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: topography of …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use topography
- “The steep topography of the region makes road construction difficult.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Concerned with topography.
Concerned with topography.
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What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.