hypsography
(hɪpˈsɒgrəfɪ)
[f. Gr. ὕψο-ς height (see hypso-) + -γραϕια writing, sketching.]
That department of geography which deals with the comparative altitude of places, or parts of the earth's surface.
| 1885 Athenæum 9 May 602/3 A further contribution towards the hypsography of Eastern Venetia, by Prof. Giovanni Marinelli. 1888 M. Baker in Science 7 Dec. 280 ‘Hypsography’ and ‘topography’ are each used for this purpose; but the first refers rather to elevation than to form. |
Hence hypsoˈgraphic a., hypsographical; hypsographic curve, a curve showing the area or proportion of the earth's (solid) surface, or of a part of it, above any given elevation or depth. hypsoˈgraphical a., of or pertaining to hypsography; hypsographical map, a map specially designed to exhibit (whether by shading, by contour lines, or by an actual embossed surface) the comparative altitude of places or parts of the earth's surface.
| 1881 Academy No. 455. 65 The map..almost resembles a hypsographical one, for the Alps and other mountain regions, no less than the valley of the Rhine..form very conspicuous features upon it. 1881 Athenæum 30 July 149/1 We are thus presented with..a hypsographical map of Central Europe. 1895 Geogr. Jrnl. V. 577 The author points out how the generalized hypsographic curve of the Earth's surface defines the continental plateau. 1937 [see clinographic a.]. 1971 Nature 16 July 181/2 Kuenen was able to show from the world hypsographic curve that under present conditions a eustatic rise of 100 m would flood about 1/4 to 1/5 of the continents. |