geography

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The study of the earth and its features and of the distribution of life on the earth, including human life and the effects of human activity.
2. n. The physical characteristics, especially the surface features, of an area.
3. n. A book on geography.
4. n. An ordered arrangement of constituent elements: charting a geography of the mind.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The science of the description of the earth's surface in its present condition, and of the distribution upon it of its various products and animals, especially of mankind, etc. See phrases below. The object of the geographer is to describe the earth's surface as it now exists. The geologist, on the other hand, seeks to throw light on the past history of the globe, although in doing this he must constantly refer to and study its present condition. Abbreviated geography
2. n. A book containing a description of the earth or of a portion of it; particularly, a school-book for teaching the science of geography.
3. n. The main features of a locality as regards its geographical position and general character; the knowledge derived from geographical research.

Wiktionary

1. n. The study of the physical structure and inhabitants of the Earth.
2. n. The physical structure of a particular region; terrain.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. 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.
2. n. A treatise on this science.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. study of the earth's surface; includes people's responses to topography and climate and soil and vegetation