A World of Words: Physical Geography - High School

Physical geography will be a breeze once you master this list of terms related to Earth's physical features. You'll review climate and weather, landforms and bodies of water, biomes and ecosystems, and the geological structure of the Earth — and that's just the tip of the iceberg!
219 words 4018 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ablation
    the erosive process that reduces the size of glaciers
  2. acid rain
    precipitation with toxic gas emissions combined with water
  3. advection
    (meteorology) the horizontal transfer of heat or other atmospheric properties
  4. air mass
    a large body of air with uniform characteristics horizontally
  5. anticyclone
    winds spiraling outward from a high pressure center
  6. antitrade wind
    winds blowing from west to east and lying above the trade winds in the tropics
  7. aquifer
    underground layer of rock or sand that yields groundwater
  8. archipelago
    a group of many islands in a large body of water
  9. arid
    lacking sufficient water or rainfall
  10. arroyo
    a stream or brook
  11. atmosphere
    the mass of air surrounding the Earth
  12. atoll
    an island consisting of a coral reef surrounding a lagoon
  13. badlands
    deeply eroded barren land
  14. barometer
    an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
  15. barrier reef
    a long coral reef near and parallel to the shore
  16. bay
    an indentation of a shoreline smaller than a gulf
  17. bedrock
    solid unweathered stone beneath surface deposits of soil
  18. berm
    a narrow ledge at the top or bottom of a slope
  19. biomass
    the total amount of living matter in a given unit area
  20. biome
    major ecological community with distinct climate and flora
  21. biosphere
    the regions of the Earth where living organisms exist
  22. bluff
    a high steep bank
  23. butte
    a hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding region
  24. canyon
    a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall
  25. cape
    a sleeveless garment worn over the shoulders
  26. carbon cycle
    the organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again
  27. cataract
    a large waterfall; violent rush of water over a precipice
  28. cavern
    a large cave or a large chamber in a cave
  29. channel
    a deep and relatively narrow body of water
  30. cirrus cloud
    a wispy white cloud at a high altitude
  31. clay
    water-soaked soil; soft, wet earth
  32. cliff
    a steep high face of rock
  33. climate
    the weather in some location averaged over a period of time
  34. cold front
    the front of an advancing mass of colder air
  35. condensation
    atmospheric moisture that has changed from a gas
  36. conduction
    the transmission of heat or electricity or sound
  37. continent
    one of the large landmasses of the earth
  38. continental divide
    the watershed of a continent
  39. continental drift
    the gradual movement of very large land masses
  40. continental shelf
    the relatively shallow seabed surrounding a continent
  41. convection
    movement of heat by massive motion within the atmosphere
  42. coral reef
    a reef consisting of coral consolidated into limestone
  43. core
    the central part of the Earth
  44. crater
    a bowl-shaped geological formation at the top of a volcano
  45. crust
    the outer layer of the Earth
  46. cumulus cloud
    a globular cloud
  47. current
    a steady flow of a fluid or gas
  48. cyclone
    an atmospheric system in which air circulates rapidly
  49. delta
    a low area of alluvial deposits where a river divides
  50. desert
    arid land with little or no vegetation
  51. desertification
    a gradual transformation into arid, uninhabitable land
  52. dew point
    the temperature at which the water vapor in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins
  53. divide
    a ridge of land that separates two adjacent river systems
  54. doldrums
    a state of inactivity
  55. downdraft
    a strong downward air current
  56. drainage basin
    the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet
  57. dune
    a ridge of sand created by the wind
  58. earthquake
    vibration from underground movement along a fault plane
  59. ecosystem
    organisms interacting with their physical environment
  60. El Nino
    a warm ocean current in the Pacific that sets off a chain of weather events
  61. epicenter
    a point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake
  62. equator
    an imaginary line around the Earth forming a great circle
  63. equinox
    when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator
  64. erosion
    the process of wearing or grinding something down
  65. escarpment
    a long steep slope at the edge of a plateau or ridge
  66. estuary
    the wide part of a river where it nears the sea
  67. evaporation
    the process of becoming a suspension of particles in the air
  68. exosphere
    the outermost atmospheric layer
  69. extrusive
    forced while molten through cracks in the earth's surface
  70. eye
    an area that is approximately central within some larger region
  71. fault line
    (geology) line determined by the intersection of a geological fault and the earth's surface
  72. fauna
    all the animal life in a particular region or period
  73. fjord
    a long narrow inlet of the sea between steep cliffs
  74. floodplain
    a low plain adjacent to a river that is formed chiefly of river sediment and is subject to flooding
  75. flood tide
    the occurrence of incoming water
  76. flora
    all the plant life in a particular region or period
  77. fog
    droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
  78. foliation
    (geology) the arrangement of leaflike layers in a rock
  79. food chain
    community of organisms where each member is eaten by another
  80. forecast
    a prediction about how something will develop
  81. front
    phenomenon at the boundary between two different air masses
  82. geomorphology
    the science that studies the formation of rocks and land forms
  83. geyser
    a spring that discharges hot water and steam
  84. glacier
    a slowly moving mass of ice
  85. global warming
    a rise in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere
  86. gorge
    a deep ravine, usually with a river running through it
  87. greenhouse effect
    warming due to solar radiation trapped by the atmosphere
  88. hail
    precipitation of ice pellets
  89. headland
    a natural elevation
  90. headwater
    the source of a river
  91. hot spring
    a natural spring of water at a temperature of 70 F or above
  92. humidity
    wetness in the atmosphere
  93. humus
    partially decomposed organic matter
  94. hurricane
    a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds
  95. hydrosphere
    the watery layer of the earth's surface
  96. hygrometer
    measuring instrument for measuring the relative humidity of the atmosphere
  97. iceberg
    a large frozen mass floating at sea
  98. icecap
    a mass of ice and snow that permanently covers a large area of land (e.g., the polar regions or a mountain peak)
  99. ice floe
    a flat mass of ice floating at sea
  100. ice pack
    a large expanse of floating ice
  101. ice shelf
    ice that is attached to land but projects out to sea
  102. insolation
    incident solar radiation
  103. ionosphere
    the outer region of the Earth's atmosphere
  104. island
    a land mass that is surrounded by water
  105. isobar
    (meteorology)an isogram connecting points having equal barometric pressure at a given time
  106. isogram
    a line drawn on a map connecting points having the same numerical value of some variable
  107. isthmus
    a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas
  108. jet stream
    a high-speed air current blowing constantly high above the earth
  109. jetty
    protective structure extending from the shore into the water
  110. lagoon
    a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef
  111. lake
    a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
  112. landslide
    the descent of a large mass of dirt and rock down a slope
  113. latitude
    an imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator
  114. lava
    rock that in its molten form issues from volcanos
  115. leach
    permeate or seep into gradually
  116. lightning
    flash of light from an electric discharge in the atmosphere
  117. lithosphere
    the solid part of the Earth
  118. llano
    an extensive grassy and nearly treeless plain
  119. loam
    a rich soil consisting of sand, clay and organic materials
  120. longitude
    the angular distance from the prime meridian at Greenwich
  121. magma
    molten rock in the earth's crust
  122. mantle
    the layer of the earth between the crust and the core
  123. marsh
    low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation
  124. meridian
    an imaginary great circle on the surface of the earth
  125. mesa
    flat tableland with steep edges
  126. mesosphere
    the atmospheric layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere
  127. metamorphic
    having undergone transformation by pressure, heat, etc.
  128. metamorphic rock
    rock altered by pressure and heat
  129. meteorologist
    a specialist who studies weather conditions
  130. meteorology
    the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere
  131. mineral
    a solid inorganic substance occurring in nature
  132. monsoon
    rainy season in southern Asia
  133. moraine
    accumulated earth and stones deposited by a glacier
  134. mountain
    a land mass that projects well above its surroundings
  135. natural resource
    material in the environment that can be used by people
  136. neap tide
    a less than average tide occurring at the first and third quarters of the moon
  137. nimbus cloud
    a dark grey cloud bearing rain
  138. nitrogen cycle
    the circulation of nitrogen
  139. oasis
    a fertile tract in a desert
  140. ocean
    a large body of water that is part of the hydrosphere
  141. outcrop
    the part of a rock formation that appears above the surface
  142. oxbow lake
    a crescent-shaped lake (often temporary) that is formed when a meander of a river is cut off from the main channel
  143. ozone layer
    a region of the stratosphere that blocks UV radiation from the sun
  144. ozonosphere
    a region of the stratosphere that blocks UV radiation from the sun
  145. peninsula
    a large mass of land projecting into a body of water
  146. permafrost
    ground that is permanently frozen
  147. photosynthesis
    formation of compounds in plants aided by radiant energy
  148. physical geography
    the study of physical features of the earth's surface
  149. pinnacle
    a lofty peak
  150. plain
    an extensive tract of level, open land
  151. plankton
    aggregate of small organisms that float or drift in water
  152. plateau
    a relatively flat raised area of land
  153. plate tectonics
    the movement or study of the movement of Earth's crust
  154. polar front
    the front of an advancing mass of colder air
  155. prairie
    a treeless grassy plain
  156. prime meridian
    meridian from which east and west are reckoned
  157. radiation
    energy transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles
  158. rain
    water falling in drops from vapor in the atmosphere
  159. rainforest
    a densely wooded tropical area with heavy precipitation
  160. rain gauge
    gauge consisting of an instrument to measure the quantity of precipitation
  161. reef
    a submerged ridge of rock or coral near the water's surface
  162. reflection
    the phenomenon of a wave being thrown back from a surface
  163. Richter scale
    a system once used to measure the strength of an earthquake
  164. river
    a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
  165. runoff
    the occurrence of surplus liquid exceeding capacity
  166. salinity
    the relative proportion of salt in a solution
  167. Santa Ana
    a strong hot dry wind that blows in winter from the deserts of southern California toward the Pacific Coast
  168. savanna
    a flat grassland in tropical or subtropical regions
  169. sea
    a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
  170. sediment
    matter that has been deposited by some natural process
  171. sedimentary
    formed by or containing the accumulation of deposited matter
  172. sedimentary rock
    rock formed from consolidated clay deposits
  173. seismograph
    an instrument for measuring movements of the ground
  174. silt
    mud or clay or small rocks deposited by a river or lake
  175. sleet
    precipitation consisting of a mixture of rain and snow
  176. snow
    water falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
  177. sod
    surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and roots
  178. soil
    material in the top layer of the surface of the earth
  179. solstice
    when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equator
  180. sound
    narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water
  181. spring
    a natural flow of ground water
  182. stalactite
    a cylinder of calcium carbonate hanging from a cave roof
  183. stalagmite
    a cylinder of calcium carbonate projecting from a cave floor
  184. steppe
    an extensive plain without trees
  185. strait
    a narrow channel joining two larger bodies of water
  186. stratosphere
    atmospheric layer between the troposphere and the mesosphere
  187. stratum
    one of several parallel layers of material
  188. stratus cloud
    a large dark low cloud
  189. swamp
    low land that is seasonally flooded
  190. tarn
    a mountain lake, especially one formed by glaciers
  191. temperature
    the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment
  192. terrain
    a piece of ground having specific characteristics
  193. thermometer
    measuring instrument for measuring temperature
  194. thermosphere
    the atmospheric layer between the mesosphere and the exosphere
  195. thunder
    a booming or crashing noise along the path of lightning
  196. tide
    the periodic rise and fall of the sea level
  197. timberline
    boundary marking the upper limit of tree growth
  198. topography
    the configuration of a surface and its features
  199. tornado
    a violently destructive windstorm occurring over land
  200. trade wind
    steady winds blowing from east to west above and below the equator
  201. tributary
    a branch that flows into the main stream
  202. troposphere
    the lowest atmospheric layer; from 4 to 11 miles high
  203. tsunami
    a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave
  204. tundra
    a vast treeless plain where subsoil is permanently frozen
  205. typhoon
    a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific or Indian oceans
  206. updraft
    a strong upward air current
  207. valley
    a long depression in the surface of the land
  208. vegetation
    all the plant life in a particular region or period
  209. volcanic rock
    extrusive igneous rock solidified near or on the surface of the Earth
  210. volcano
    a fissure in the earth's crust through which gases erupt
  211. wadi
    a gully that remains dry except during the rainy season
  212. warm front
    the front of an advancing mass of warmer air
  213. waterfall
    a place where a river or stream flows down
  214. watershed
    a ridge of land that separates two adjacent river systems
  215. water table
    underground surface below which the ground is fully saturated with moisture
  216. water vapor
    water in a vaporous form diffused in the atmosphere but below boiling temperature
  217. weather
    atmospheric conditions such as temperature and precipitation
  218. wind
    air moving from high pressure to low pressure
  219. wind vane
    mechanical device attached to an elevated structure
Created on Sat Mar 04 12:02:11 EST 2017 (updated Wed Aug 02 14:39:32 EDT 2017)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.