Meaning & use
geoglyphs
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“geoglyphs” is a form of “geoglyph”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluraltechnical
Very large figures or patterns made on the ground, by clearing stones, arranging rocks or cutting into soil, usually by ancient peoples.
Grammar: Plural of geoglyph: the geoglyphs of Peru.
Patterns
- geoglyphs of a place
- geoglyphs in the desert
The geoglyphs of Nazca show animals that can be seen clearly only from the air.
Archaeologists used drones to map newly found geoglyphs in the desert.
Some geoglyphs are shaped like birds, spiders and monkeys.
nounplural
Modern large-scale artworks made in the landscape, such as huge designs drawn into fields or sand.
Grammar: Used for contemporary land art.
Patterns
- modern geoglyphs
Artists created temporary geoglyphs in the sand at low tide.
Farmers carved geoglyphs into the wheat as a festival attraction.
These modern geoglyphs are visible on satellite maps.
Word forms
| singular | geoglyph |
|---|
Common combinations
- ancient geoglyphs
- Ancient geoglyphs cover the plateau.
- Nazca geoglyphs
- The Nazca geoglyphs are a World Heritage site.
- discover geoglyphs
- Scientists discovered geoglyphs in the Amazon using laser scanning.
- map geoglyphs
- Teams map geoglyphs with drones and satellites.
- giant geoglyphs
- Giant geoglyphs stretch for hundreds of meters.
Synonyms and how they differ
- earthworks
- Earthworks is broader and includes mounds, ditches and banks, whereas geoglyphs are mostly flat designs.
- ground drawings
- Ground drawings is a plain descriptive phrase, while geoglyphs is the scientific term.
- hill figures
- Hill figures are geoglyphs cut into hillsides, such as the white horses of England, so they are a specific kind.
- land art
- Land art is a modern art movement, so it implies an artist's intention and a recent date.
Word family
Commonly confused: geoglyphs or petroglyphs? geoglyphs or hieroglyphs?
geoglyphs vs petroglyphs
Petroglyphs are carved into rock surfaces, while geoglyphs are made on the ground itself.
geoglyphs vs hieroglyphs
Hieroglyphs are picture symbols used as writing in ancient Egypt, not figures in the landscape.
Practice
Large animal figures scratched into the desert floor in Peru are called ____.
Choose one answer.
Geoglyphs are designs made on the ground. Petroglyphs are rock carvings, hieroglyphs are written symbols, and murals are wall paintings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “geoglyphs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.