hydrographic

1 of 2

adjective

hy·​dro·​graph·​ic ˌhī-drə-ˈgra-fik 

1

: of or relating to the characteristic features (such as flow or depth) of bodies of water

2

: relating to the charting of bodies of water

hydrographer

hī-ˈdrä-grə-fər 

noun

hydrography

hī-ˈdrä-grə-fē 

noun

hydrography

2 of 2

noun

hy·​drog·​ra·​phy hīˈdrägrəfē 

plural -es

1

: the description and study of seas, lakes, rivers, and other waters: such as

a

: the measurement of flow and investigation of the behavior of streams especially with reference to the control or utilization of their waters

b

: the measurement of tides and currents especially as an aid in navigation

c

: the surveying, sounding, and charting of bodies of water

2

: bodies of water or a representation of them on a map

Examples of hydrographic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The vehicle is designed to support mine countermeasures, search and recovery, hydrographic and geophysical survey, offshore infrastructure inspection, and environmental mapping missions. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026

Coastguard Kaipara added in a Facebook post that the Royal New Zealand Navy's hydrographic team was assisting, too. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026

The Legal Amazon is an area in nine states of Brazil that's home to the largest hydrographic basin in the world. — Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024

The specialist dive and hydrographic vessel lost power and ran aground on Saturday evening while conducting a reef survey one nautical mile off the southern coast of the Samoan island of Upolu, according to New Zealand authorities. — Isaac Yee, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024

On Thursday, sailors retrieved the data recorder and conducted a hydrographic survey to assess the plane's structural integrity. — CBS News, 28 Nov. 2023

In early 2023, the ship spent about a month supporting hydrographic, land and environmental surveys in the waters of Temotu Province, in the eastern Solomon Islands. — Craig Hooper, Forbes, 3 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French hydrographique, from Middle French, from hydr- + -graphique -graphic

Noun

Middle French hydrographie, from hydr- + -graphie -graphy (from Latin -graphia)

First Known Use

Adjective

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hydrographic

• autographic
• biographic
• calligraphic
• cartographic
• cryptographic
• demographic
• epigraphic
• ethnographic
• geographic
• holographic
• lithographic
• mammographic