geology

ge·ol·o·gy

noun \jē-ˈä-lə-jē\

plural ge·ol·o·gies

Definition of GEOLOGY

1

a : a science that deals with the history of the earth and its life especially as recorded in rocks

b : a study of the solid matter of a celestial body (as the moon)

2

: geologic features

3

: a treatise on geology

— ge·ol·o·gist \-jist\ noun

Examples of GEOLOGY

1. learning about the geology of Hawaii

Origin of GEOLOGY

New Latin geologia, from ge- + -logia -logy

First Known Use: 1735

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with GEOLOGY

andrology, anthology, apology, astrology, biology, bryology, cetology, Christology, chronology, conchology, cosmology, cryptology, cytology, dendrology, doxology, ecology, enology, ethnology, ethology, fetology, garbology, gemology, graphology, haplology, histology, homology, horology, hydrology, hymnology, Indology, limnology, lithology, mixology, morphology, mycology, myology, mythology, necrology, nephrology, neurology, nosology, oncology, ontology, oology, pathology, pedology, penology, petrology, phlebology, phonology, phrenology, phycology, proctology, psychology, scatology, seismology, serology, sexology, sinology, symbology, tautology, technology, tetralogy, theology, topology, trichology, typology, ufology, urology, virology, zoology

geology

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Scientific study of the Earth, including its composition, structure, physical properties, and history. Geology is commonly divided into subdisciplines concerned with the chemical makeup of the Earth, including the study of minerals (mineralogy) and rocks (petrology); the structure of the Earth (structural geology) and volcanic phenomena (volcanology); landforms and the processes that produce them (geomorphology and glaciology); geologic history, including the study of fossils (paleontology), the development of sedimentary strata (stratigraphy), and the evolution of planetary bodies and their satellites (astrogeology); and economic geology and its various branches, such as mining geology and petroleum geology. Some major fields closely allied to geology are geodesy, geophysics, and geochemistry. See also environmental geology.