Vocabulary Lesson 2

Geography or “earth description” is the

investigation of facts about the earth’s

surface, which differs from place to place.

GEOGRAPHY WORDS

Insular adj.

relating to an island

Insularity n.

The insular life of Nantucket Island is relaxed except during the summer tourist season.

Characteristic of the isolated life of an

island people.

Narrow-minded. From the Latin word insula, meaning “island.”

Latitude

Distance north or south of the equator measured in degrees

Latitudinal adj.

Latitude is indicated on a map by horizontal lines.

Longitude

Distance east or west of the Greenwich,

England and measured in degrees

Longitudinal adj

Longitude is measured on a map by vertical lines.

Meridian

Any of the imaginary circles around the

Earth that pass through the North Pole

and South Pole.

Panorama

a. A wide-ranging view over a large area.

b. A comprehensive picture of a specific subject; a overview.

Panoramic adj.

Panoramic view of Athens

Peninsula

A strip of land with water on three

sides.From the Latin words paene, meaning “almost,”

and insula, meaning “island.”

Precipice

A steep cliff or over- hanging rock

Precipitous adj.

PRECIPICE

DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!!

HOUSE FOR SALECHEAP!

Quagmirea. Muddy land into which one can easily sink.b. A difficult situation in which one can get caught; entanglement

Terrestrial

Having to do with earth or land

Terrestrial upheavals such as earthquakes and volcanoes can endanger people living nearby.

Topography

The physical features of a region, such as mountains, plains,

and rivers.

Topographical adj.