Geography Definitions

Study the definitions for the Geography Semester 2 Exam!

Tornado

A very violent whirlwind.

Backwash

The water which flows back down the beach after a wave has broken on the shore.

Coral

A hard substance made from the skeletons of tiny sea animals.

Beaufort scale

A scale used to estimate the strength of the wind.

Harbour

A place where ships and boats can shelter or unload.

Glacier

A slow-moving river of ice.

Adaptation

Something that allows a plant or animal to survive in its environment.

Beach

The loose sand, shingle or other materials at the edge of an ocean, sea or lake.

Groundwater

Water in the rocks below the Earth’s surface.

Cargo

Goods carried by a ship, aeroplane or other type of vehicle.

Channel

A groove or passage along which water flows.

Latrine

A very basic type of toilet.

Erode

To wear away land by water, ice or the wind.

Cliff

A steep rock face, especially on the coast.

Coast

Where the land meets the sea.

Famine

A time when there is not enough food for the people of an area.

Humid air

Air that contains a large amount of water vapour.

Hurricane

A powerful swirling storm found in the tropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean.

Dam

A wall built from concrete, soil or other materials across a river to form a reservoir.

Dock

A place where ships are loaded, unloaded or repaired.

Waterspout

A tornado over the sea.

Chlorine

A gas used to kill germs in water.

Climate

The average or typical weather of a region of the Earth throughout the year.

Current

The movement of air or water in a particular direction.

Drought

An unusually long period of dry weather.

Estuary

The wide mouth of a river where fresh water meets sea water.

Erosion

The wearing away of land by moving water, wind or ice.

Nomad

A person who lives and works on the move from one place to another.

Irrigation

The taking of water to the land so that crops grow well.

Oasis

A place where water can be found in the desert.

Port

A place where ships stop to load and unload their cargo.

Prevailing wind

A wind that almost always blows in the same direction.

Reservoir

A lake built to store water.

Rainforest

A forest that grows in a place that is hot and rainy all the year round.

Sand dune

A hill formed by wind-blown sand.

Stack

A pillar of rock in the sea near cliffs.

Sewage

The waste material and liquid from homes and factories, carried away by drains and sewers.

Tides

The rise and fall of the level of the oceans and seas twice a day.

Wave

A regular movement of the surface of water caused by wind.

Whirlwind

A strong wind that blows round and round.