from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
geography \ge*og"ra*phy\, n.; pl. {Geographies}. [F.
g['e]ographie, l. geographia, fr. Gr. ?; ge`a, gh^, the earth
+ ? description, fr. ? to write, describe. See {Graphic}.]
1. The science which treats of the world and its inhabitants;
a description of the earth, or a portion of the earth,
including its structure, features, products, political
divisions, and the people by whom it is inhabited. It also
includes the responses and adaptations of people to
topography, climate, soil and vegetation
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
2. A treatise on this science.
[1913 Webster]
{Astronomical}, {or Mathematical}, geography treats of the
earth as a planet, of its shape, its size, its lines of
latitude and longitude, its zones, and the phenomena due
to to the earth's diurnal and annual motions.
{Physical geography} treats of the conformation of the
earth's surface, of the distribution of land and water, of
minerals, plants, animals, etc., and applies the
principles of physics to the explanation of the
diversities of climate, productions, etc.
{Political geography} treats of the different countries into
which earth is divided with regard to political and social
and institutions and conditions.
[1913 Webster]