geomorphology

/ˌˈdʒioʊˈmɔrˌfɑlədʒi/

Geomorphology is the study of why the landscape is shaped how it is. Why is there a mountain there, and how did it come to be? Ask someone who knows about geomorphology.

Morphology is a word that means "the study of shape." It's used in linguistics (the shapes of words), biology (the shapes of animals) and geology (the shapes of landscapes). When it's used in a geology context, it's sometimes called geomorphology just to let you know which type of morphology you're dealing with. Geo means "land" or "earth," so you could think of geomorphology as meaning "the study of the shape of the land."

Definitions of geomorphology

1. noun

   the science that studies the characteristics, configuration, and evolution of rocks and land forms
   synonyms: morphology

   types:

   plate tectonic theory, plate tectonics, tectonics

   the branch of geology studying the folding and faulting of the earth's crust

   lithology, petrology

   the branch of geology that studies rocks: their origin and formation and mineral composition and classification

   type of:

   geophysical science, geophysics

   the science that studies how energy and matter interact in the earth's surface, interior, and surrounding space