Landforms Glossary - EnchantedLearning.com http://members.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/gl... EnchantedLearning.com Illustrated Glossary: Landforms and Bodies of Water Definitions: butte archipelago atoll bay A butte is a An archipelago is a An atoll is a ring (or A bay is a body of water flat-topped rock or group or chain of islands partial ring) of coral that that is partly enclosed by hill formation with clustered together in a forms an island in an land (and is usually steep sides. sea or ocean. ocean or sea. smaller than a gulf). channel A channel is a body of water cave that connects two larger canyon cape A cave is a large bodies of water (like the hole in the A canyon is a deep valley A cape is a pointed English Channel). A channel ground or in the with very steep sides - piece of land that sticks is also a part of a river or side of a hill or often carved from the out into a sea, ocean, harbor that is deep enough mountain. Earth by a river. lake, or river. to let ships sail through. continent col The land mass on Earth is A divided into continents. The cove cliff mountain seven current continents are A cove is small, horseshoe- A cliff is a steep face pass. Africa, Antarctica, Asia, shaped body of water along the of rock and soil. Australia, Europe, North coast; the water is surrounded America, and South America. by land formed of soft rock. delta dune A delta is a low, watery land formed at the A dune is a hill equator 1 of 4 11/3/09 12:47 AM Landforms Glossary - EnchantedLearning.com http://members.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/gl... mouth of a river. It is formed from the silt, or a ridge made The equator is an sand and small rocks that flow downstream desert of sand. Dunes imaginary circle in the river and are deposited in the delta. A A desert is a are shaped by the around the earth, delta is often (but not always) shaped like a very dry wind, and halfway between triangle (hence its name, delta, a Greek letter area. change all the the north and south that is shaped like a triangle). time. poles. geomorphology estuary Geomorphology is the scientific geyser fjord An estuary is field that investigates how A geyser is a natural A fjord is a long, where a river landforms are formed on the hot spring that narrow sea inlet that is meets the sea Earth (and other planets). occasionally sprays bordered by steep or ocean. water and steam above cliffs. the ground. glacier hill island A glacier is a gulf A hill is a raised An island is a piece slowly moving A gulf is a part of the ocean (or sea) area or mound of of land that is river of ice. that is partly surrounded by land (it is land. surrounded by water. usually larger than a bay). lagoon latitude A lagoon is a Latitude is the angular distance lake north or south from the equator shallow body A lake is a large body isthmus to a particular location. The of water that is of water surrounded An isthmus is a narrow equator has a latitude of zero located by land on all sides. strip of land connecting degrees. The North Pole has a alongside a Really huge lakes are two larger landmasses. An latitude of 90 degrees North; coast. often called seas. isthmus has water on two the South Pole has a latitude of sides. 90 degrees South. marsh 2 of 4 11/3/09 12:47 AM Landforms Glossary - EnchantedLearning.com http://members.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/gl... longitude Longitude is the angular distance east or west from the north-south A marsh is a type of mountain line that passes through Greenwich, freshwater, brackish mesa A mountain is a England, to a particular location. water or saltwater A mesa is a land very tall high, Greenwich, England has a longitude wetland that is formation with a natural place on of zero degrees. The farther east or found along rivers, flat area on top and Earth - higher west of Greenwich you are, the pond, lakes and steep walls - than a hill. The greater your longitude. Midway coasts. Marsh plants usually occurring in tallest mountain Islands (in the Pacific Ocean) have a grow up out of the dry areas. on Earth is Mt. longitude of 180 degrees (they are on water. Everest. the opposite side of the globe from Greenwich). ocean plain plateau Plains are flat A plateau is a large, flat An ocean is a large body of peninsula lands that have area of land that is salt water that surrounds a A peninsula is a body only small changes higher than the continent. Oceans cover more of land that is in elevation. surrounding land. the two-thirds of the Earth's surrounded by water surface on three sides. prairie sea pond A prairie is a wide, river A sea is a large body of salty A pond is a small body relatively flat area of A river is a large, water that is often connected of water surrounded by land that has grasses flowing body of water to an ocean. A sea may be land. A pond is smaller and only a few trees. that usually empties partly or completely than a lake. into a sea or ocean. surrounded by land. sound A sound is a wide inlet source of the sea or ocean that A source is is parallel to the the strait swamp coastline; it often beginning of A strait is a narrow body A swamp is a type of freshwater separates a coastline a river. of water that connects wetland that has spongy, muddly from a nearby island. two larger bodies of land and a lot of water. Many 3 of 4 11/3/09 12:47 AM Landforms Glossary - EnchantedLearning.com http://members.enchantedlearning.com/geography/landforms/gl... trees and shrubs grow in water. swamps. tributary A tributary is a stream or river valley that flows into a larger river. A valley is a low place tundra between mountains. A tundra is a cold, treeless area; it is the coldest biome. volcano wetland waterfall A volcano is a mountainous A wetland is an area of land that is often wet; the soil When a river vent in the Earth's crust. in wetlands are often low in oxygen. Wetland plants falls off When a volcano erupts, it are adapted to life in wet soil. There are many types steeply, there is spews out lava, ashes, and of wetlands, including: swamp, slough, fen, bog, a waterfall. hot gases from deep inside marsh, moor, muskeg, peatland, bottomland, the Earth. delmarva, mire, wet meadow, riparian, etc. Copyright ©2000-2009 EnchantedLearning.com 4 of 4 11/3/09 12:47 AM.