geology

noun ge·ol·o·gy \ jē-ˈä-lə-jē \

Definition of geology

plural geologies

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 (such as the moon)

2 : geologic features

the geology of Arizona

3 : a treatise on geology

—

geologist

play \jē-ˈä-lə-jist\ noun

See geology defined for English-language learners

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Examples of geology in a Sentence

learning about the geology of Hawaii

Recent Examples of geology from the Web

Bend’s volcanic geology makes it a great place to explore a variety of caves and lava tubes, which can be found in virtually every direction from the city.

— OregonLive.com, "20 reasons to love Bend, Oregon's outdoor and urban playground," 12 Oct. 2017
Studying geology also gave him a sense of the planet’s long, slow timeline.

— joshua barone, New York Times, "Hear the Music Behind Dan Brown’s Latest Novel," 6 Oct. 2017
Modern geology emerged in the late 18th century, as the nature of fossils, the reality of extinction and the vast age of the Earth became accepted as scientific truth.

— william f. bynum, WSJ, "Observer of the Shaking Palsy," 8 Sep. 2017
The Russian oil giant — whose CEO Igor Sechin is a close ally of Vladimir Putin — continues to drill at the field to study its geology, search for more oil, and define future drilling strategies at the license, Rosneft says.

— tsvetana paraskova, USA TODAY, "Russia goes all in on Arctic oil development," 24 Oct. 2017
This Iceland highlight appeals to both geology buffs and history enthusiasts.

— kate springer, CNN, "Turf homes: Inside the grass-topped farmhouses that defined Iceland," 8 Oct. 2017
Smith, who is also a professor emeritus of geology at the University of Florida, said his crew of 25 responds to about 10 cases across the state each week.

— michael williams, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Will FEMA or insurance cover Irma-related sinkhole or washout damage?," 20 Sep. 2017
Guides offer lessons in history and geology, but little information beyond what is in the visitor center.

— scott craven, USA TODAY, "Meteor Crater: Arizona's other huge hole in the ground," 29 Oct. 2017
Wildlife, birds, vegetation and geology of the area will be discussed and viewed during the hikes.

— Ramona Sentinel, "Historic trail opens for tours this fall," 19 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'geology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of geology

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1735

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

Other Geology Terms

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

GEOLOGY Defined for English Language Learners

geology

noun

Definition of geology for English Language Learners

: a science that studies rocks, layers of soil, etc., in order to learn about the history of the Earth and its life
: the rocks, land, processes of land formation, etc., of a particular area

GEOLOGY Defined for Kids

geology

noun ge·ol·o·gy \ jē-ˈä-lə-jē \

Definition of geology for Students

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

2 : the geologic features (as mountains or plains) of an area

Learn More about geology

See words that rhyme with geology Spanish Central: Translation of geology Nglish: Translation of geology for Spanish speakers

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geology

Definition of geology

geologist

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GEOLOGY Defined for English Language Learners

geology

Definition of geology for English Language Learners

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geology

Definition of geology for Students

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geology

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geologist

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