Cartography
/kɑːrˈtɒɡrəfi/noun
The science or practice of making maps.
Did you know?The word was coined in modern European scholarship from Greek roots, and its history reflects a very old idea: to map something is to name it, frame it, and make it legible to power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
χάρτης (khártēs)
“papyrus sheet; writing material, later a map or chart”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γράφειν (gráphein)
“to write, draw, inscribe”
16th Century
Latinized scholarly coinage
cartographia
“map-making or map-writing”
19th Century
French/English
cartographie
“the practice or science of making maps”
Modern English
English
cartography
“the science or practice of making maps”
Explore more surprising origins