geomorphology

[ jee-uh-mawr-fol-uh-jee ]

noun

1. the study of the characteristics, origin, and development of landforms.

geomorphology

/ ˌdʒiːəʊmɔːˈfɒdʒənɪ; ˌdʒiːəʊmɔːˈfɒlədʒɪ; ˌdʒiːəʊˌmɔːfəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

1. the branch of geology that is concerned with the structure, origin, and development of the topographical features of the earth's surface

geomorphology

/ jē′ō-môr-fŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of the formation, alteration, and configuration of landforms and their relationship with underlying structures.

Derived Forms

• ˌgeoˌmorphoˈlogically, adverb
• geomorphological, adjective

Other Words From

• ge·o·mor·pho·log·i·cal [jee-, uh, -mawr-ph, uh, -, loj, -i-k, uh, l], geo·morpho·logic adjective
• geo·mor·pholo·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of geomorphology¹

First recorded in 1890–95; geo- + morphology

Example Sentences

"Coastal management strategies intended to protect people, property and infrastructure from storm impacts can, over decades, increase vulnerability, even leading to the loss of barrier islands, especially as sea-level rise rates increase," said A. Brad Murray, professor of geomorphology and coastal processes at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment.

From Science Daily

"Counterintuitively, the more successful humans are in preventing storm impacts, the less resilient the barrier system becomes in the long term," said co-author, Laura Moore, professor of coastal geomorphology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

From Science Daily

"These pelagic animals are used to living in a food desert, so when they come across anything they'll give it a try. The Red Sea's geomorphology brings very large, pelagic predatory fishes into juxtaposition with tourists that are diving and enjoying their holiday."

From Science Daily

"This work overturns the well-established bottom-up paradigm that coastal geomorphology is governed by interactions between physical forces and plant structure. Our results unequivocally show that predators also play a keystone role in controlling the course of these tidal creeks."

From Science Daily

Metamorfosi residents will take the proposal to the government, together with a study by the municipality's civil engineering department citing "repeated flooding" and its geomorphology as reasons for the move.

From Reuters