geography
gb/d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/ us/d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
B1
English
~ 5100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
the study of places
A school subject about places, land, weather, and people on Earth.
Usage pattern:
study [geography]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse geography with geometry (math) or geology (rocks and Earth's interior). Geography is about places, people, and environments. Also, the school subject is usually uncountable: say 'study geography,' not 'study a geography.'
Synonyms
earth science (Broader field that includes geology, meteorology, and more; geography is one part.)
|
spatial science (Academic label emphasizing spatial patterns; less common in everyday speech.)
Collocations
physical geography
|human geography
|economic geography
|geography class
|geography teacher
|geography textbook
Themes
science
|education
|nature
Examples
- She studied geography at university and now works in urban planning.
- Our geography teacher explained how rivers shape valleys.
- The textbook provides a clear introduction to geography.
- He's majoring in geography with a focus on climate change.
Learner examples
- I have geography on Tuesday.
- She wants to study geography at college.
- Our geography class talks about maps and weather.
Noun
B2
entity
2
the terrain of an area
The natural shape of a place, like mountains and rivers, and how things are arranged there.
Usage pattern:
the geography of [a place]
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'geology' when they mean physical features of a place. Use 'geography' or 'topography' for surface features; 'geology' is about rocks and Earth's structure.
Synonyms
terrain (Focuses on the land's surface and its difficulty for travel.)
|
topography (More technical; the detailed mapping or surface features of an area.)
Collocations
the geography of the region
|rugged geography
|mountainous geography
|local geography
|varied geography
|harsh geography
Themes
nature
|travel
|science
Examples
- The geography of Iceland is dominated by volcanoes and glaciers.
- Because of the city's geography, neighborhoods are separated by steep hills.
- The park's varied geography includes forests, wetlands, and cliffs.
- The region's harsh geography makes road building expensive.
Learner examples
- The geography of this island has many mountains.
- The city's geography makes buses slow.
- The region's geography includes a big river.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
3
layout or distribution of something
How parts of something are placed in space, not only in real places but also in systems or ideas.
Usage pattern:
the geography of [something]
Common mistake:
Many learners think 'geography' only refers to the Earth. In formal writing, it can also mean the spatial pattern of parts in a system (usually in the phrase 'the geography of [something]').
Synonyms
layout (Emphasizes physical arrangement; less about distribution across wide areas.)
|
distribution (Stresses how things are spread out; may not imply structure.)
Collocations
the geography of the market
|the geography of the internet
|the geography of the brain
|organizational geography
|the geography of the supply chain
Themes
business
|technology
|analysis
|science
Examples
- We need to understand the geography of our supply chain before we redesign it.
- The political geography of the country changed after the reform.
- The geography of the brain's language areas varies across individuals.
- The office's social geography encourages collaboration.
Learner examples
- The geography of the market keeps most buyers in big cities.
- The geography of our team—who sits where—affects how we talk.
- We mapped the geography of the network to find weak points.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
4
regions as market areas
In business, a 'geography' means a market area or region.
Usage pattern:
expand into new [geographies]
Common mistake:
Outside business writing, people rarely use 'geography' as a countable noun. In everyday English, say 'regions' or 'markets' instead of 'geographies.'
Synonyms
region (General word for an area; not limited to business contexts.)
|
territory (Sales or legal term for an assigned area.)
Collocations
enter new geographies
|across key geographies
|multiple geographies
|target geographies
|emerging geographies
Themes
business
|economics
Examples
- The startup plans to expand into new geographies next year.
- Our service operates across three key geographies: North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
- The report compares performance across different geographies.
Learner examples
- The company will enter two new geographies.
- We sell in many geographies now.
- They will focus on this geography first.
Grammar
Dictionary form
geography
IPA
GB/d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
US/d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
Syllables & stress
geo - graphy (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (graphy)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: geography
- Plural: geographies, geography
Word family
Forms
geographies
noun
Core family
Related words
geographer
noun
geopolitical
adjective C1
Advanced or less common
geopolitics
noun C1
geospatial
adjective C1
Expressions
change the geography of
1/t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ ðə d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi əv/
fixed phrase
formal
alter spatial distribution
To make the layout or spread of something different.
Examples
- Remote work could change the geography of cities.
- New trade routes will change the geography of global shipping.
economic geography
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪk d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
fixed phrase
technical
subfield: economy in space
A field that studies where businesses and jobs are and why they are there.
Examples
- Economic geography explains why industries cluster in certain regions.
- Her research in economic geography focuses on tech hubs.
expand into new geographies
1/ɪkspˈænd ˈɪntu njˈu d͡ʒˈoʊɡɹˈæfiz/
fixed phrase
technical
enter more regional markets
Start selling or operating in more regions.
Examples
- They plan to expand into new geographies after the funding round.
- We expanded into new geographies to reach more customers.
geography lesson
1/d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi lˈɛsən/
fixed phrase
a lesson about places
A class or explanation that teaches facts about places.
Examples
- Today's geography lesson was about river deltas.
- Thanks for the quick geography lesson on the Balkans.
human geography
1/hjˈumən d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
fixed phrase
technical
subfield: people and places
The part of geography that studies people, cities, cultures, and how they are spread out.
Examples
- She specializes in human geography and migration.
- Human geography looks at how cities grow and change.
physical geography
1/fˈɪzɪkəl d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
fixed phrase
technical
subfield: natural features
The part of geography that studies land, water, weather, and natural processes.
Examples
- My course in physical geography covers rivers and climate.
- Volcanoes are a key topic in physical geography.
political geography
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
fixed phrase
technical
subfield: politics and space
A field that looks at borders, countries, and how power is organized in space.
Examples
- Political geography examines how borders shape identity.
- We discussed redistricting in our political geography seminar.
the geography of
1/ðə d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi əv/
fixed phrase
the layout of something
Used to talk about how a place, system, or topic is set up in space.
Examples
- The geography of the campus makes cycling easy.
- We analyzed the geography of the market before launching.