Topographic
/ˌtoʊ.pəˈɡræf.ɪk/noun
Relating to the detailed mapping or description of the physical features of a place.
Did you know?Topographic comes from Greek *topos* (“place”) + *-graphikos* (“written/described”), and that same *graph-* root also gave us words tied to writing, drawing, and recording reality.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
tópos
“place, region, or position”
Ancient Greek
Greek
graphein
“to write, draw, or record”
Late Greek
Greek
topographia
“a description or mapping of a place”
16th Century
English
topographie
“a detailed description or depiction of a place”
Modern English
English
topographic
“relating to the detailed mapping or description of a place”