133. Earth

See also 85. CLIMATE ; 134. EARTHQUAKES ; 142. ENVIRONMENT ; 143. EQUATOR ; 178. GEOGRAPHY ; 179. GEOLOGY ; 235. LAND ; 318. PLANETS ; 377. SOIL .

biosphere

that part of the earth’s surface where most forms of life exist, specifically those parts where there is water or atmosphere.

chthonic, chthonian

having to do with the underworld.

cosmosphere

a hollow glass globe for depicting the position of the earth in relation to the fixed stars at a given time.

diastrophism

the process of movement that causes the earth’s crust to form continents, mountains, oceans, etc. — diastrophe , n . — diastrophic , adj .

epeirogeny, epeirogenesis

the vertical movement or tilting of the earth’s crust, affecting broad expanses of continents. — epeirogenic , epeirogenetic , adj .

geochronology

the branch of geology that describes the past in terms of geologic rather than human time. — geochronologist , n . — geochronologic , geochronological , adj .

geodynamics

the science of the forces at work within the earth. — geodynamic , adj .

geogony

a theory or science about the formation of the earth. — geogonic , adj .

geolatry

Rare . worship of the things of the earth or of the earth itself.

geology

the science that studies the physical history of the earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the changes the earth has undergone and is undergoing. — geologist . n . — geologic , geological , adj .

geomalism

the tendency of organisms, under the influence of gravity, to be symmetrical. — geomalic , adj .

geomancy

a form of divination that analyzes the pattern of a handful of earth thrown down at random or dots made at random on paper. — geomancer , n .

geomorphology

the branch of geology that studies the form of the earth’s surface. — geomorphologist , n . — geomorphologic , geomorphological , adj .

geophagism, geophagy, geophagia

the eating of earthy matter, especially clay or chalk. — geophagist , n . — geophagous , adj .

georama

a large globe or sphere in which a spectator can stand and view a representation of the earth’s surface.

inclinometer

an instrument for measuring the inclination or dip of the earth’s magnetic force.

lithogenesy

the science of explaining the minerals of which the earth is composed, their origins, and the cause of their form and arrangement.

lithosphere

the solid part of the earth, as contrasted with the atmosphere and hydrosphere.

nutation

the periodic oscillation that can be observed in the precession of the earth’s axis and the precession of the equinoxes. See also 196. HEAD . — nutational , adj .

obliquity

the inclination of the earth’s equator or the angle between the plane of the earth’s orbit and the plane of the equator (23°27″). See also 25. ASTRONOMY . Also called obliquity of the ecliptic . — obliquitous , adj .

planation

the formation of a flat or level surface by the process of erosion.

sphericist.

Rare a person who believes that the earth is round.

tellurist

a dweller on the earth. Also tellurian .