Okuzeka
Geology & Earth Sciences vocabulary · Maps & Fieldwork

Contour line

Meaning in geology & earth sciences, with examples

nounCore term

In geology & earth sciences, contour line means: A line on a map joining points of equal height above sea level. Lines that are close together show a steep slope; widely spaced lines show gentle ground.

In Turkish: eş yükselti eğrisi, kontur, izohips

How it is used

Often just 'contour': the 500 m contour. The height difference between neighbouring lines is the contour interval. Students practise drawing profiles from contour lines and recognising valleys and ridges.

Example sentences

  1. The contour lines are very close together here, so expect a steep climb.

  2. Where contour lines form a V pointing uphill, there is usually a valley.

Common collocations

  • contour interval
  • index contour
  • draw contour lines
  • the 500 m contour
  • topographic mapA detailed map that shows the shape and height of the land using contour lines, together with rivers, roads, buildings and other features.
  • scaleThe ratio between a distance on a map and the real distance on the ground. On a 1:25,000 map, 1 cm on paper equals 250 m on the ground.
  • geological mapA map that shows which rock units occur at or just below the surface, together with their ages, boundaries, faults, folds and strike and dip measurements.

More terms: Maps & Fieldwork

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: