phytogeography

1 of 2

noun (1)

phy·​to·​ge·​og·​ra·​phy ˌfī-tō-jē-ˈä-grə-fē How to pronounce phytogeography (audio)
: the biogeography of plants
phytogeographer noun
phytogeographical adjective
or phytogeographic
phytogeographically adverb

phytogeographer

2 of 2

noun (2)

phy·​to·​geographer ¦fīt(ˌ)ō+ How to pronounce phytogeographer (audio)
: a specialist in phytogeography

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably borrowed from French phytogéographie, from phyto- phyto- + géographie geography, as translation of Danish Plantegeographie or German Pflanzengeographie

Note: The Danish word and the German equivalent were disseminated by the publication of Grundtræk til en almindelig Plantengeographie (1822), and its German translation Grundzüge einer allgemeinen Pflanzengeographie (1823), by the Danish botanist and politician Joakim Frederik Schouw (1789-1852).

Noun (2)

phytogeography + -er

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of phytogeography was circa 1847

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Cite this Entry

“Phytogeography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phytogeography. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

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