geognosy

American  

[jee-og-nuh-see] / dʒiˈɒg nə si /

noun

1. Archaic. a science dealing with the constituent parts of the earth, its envelope of air and water, its crust, and the condition of its interior.

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geognosy British  

/ ˌdʒiːɒɡˈnɒstɪk, dʒɪˈɒɡnəsɪ /

noun

1. the study of the origin and distribution of minerals and rocks in the earth's crust: superseded generally by the term geology

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Other Word Forms

• geognostic adjective
• geognostical adjective
• geognostically adverb

Etymology

Origin of geognosy

1785–95; < French géognosie, equivalent to géo- geo- + -gnosie < Greek gnôsis knowledge

Example Sentences

Notwithstanding the difference of composition in the recent lavas of the Peak, there is a certain regularity of position, which must strike the naturalist least skilled in geognosy.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 1 by Ross, Thomasina

Teneriffe: peak of. camels of. island of. temperature of. botanical gardens of. geognosy of. fruits and plants of. aborigines of. feudal government of.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 3 by Humboldt, Alexander von

We here touch upon a point of contact between geological and geographical geognosy which would constitute the complete history of the form and extent of continents.

From COSMOS: A Sketch of the Physical Description of the Universe, Vol. 1 by Humboldt, Alexander von

In taking a general view of the geological constitution of a chain of mountains, we may distinguish five elements of direction too often confounded in works of geognosy and physical geography.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 3 by Humboldt, Alexander von

Modern geognosy, the mineral portion of terrestrial physics, has made no slight advance in having investigated this connection of phenomena.

From COSMOS: A Sketch of the Physical Description of the Universe, Vol. 1 by Humboldt, Alexander von