Where does “topography” come from?
Topography comes from Middle English topographye, from Latin topographia, from Ancient Greek τοπογραφία, a compound of τόπος meaning place and graphia meaning description.
topography (English): A precise description of a place; A detailed...
Definitions
- A precise description of a place; A detailed...
Ancestry of “topography”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | topographye | — |
| 2 | Latin | topographia | topography |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | τοπογραφία | description of a place or country |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | γράφω | to scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | grəpʰō | to scratch, cut or carve into |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gerbʰ- | to carve |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |