relief map

noun

1. a map showing the relief of an area, usually by generalized contour lines.

relief map

noun

1. a map that shows the configuration and height of the land surface, usually by means of contours

relief map

/ rĭ-lēf′ /

1. A map that depicts land configuration, often with contour lines. Some relief maps are three-dimensional.

Word History and Origins

Origin of relief map¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

At the Survey, Strahan drew relief maps before colour printing was introduced.

From BBC

She scooped a handful of fire and sculpted the flames until she was holding a miniature relief map of Italy.

From Literature

Her lined face, frail but steady stature, and admirable doggedness are this movie’s relief map of human endurance.

From Los Angeles Times

Near the beginning of the atlas is this relief map, with only faint state boundaries, conveying the full magnificence of the land itself.

From Washington Post

Picture the charred 2020 college football landscape as a relief map showing those programs with the tower lights still on, and the national season looks only half-national.

From Washington Post