Glossary Of Landforms

Contents

1. Overview
2. Etymology
3. Cultural Impact

Landforms are the raw, sculpted expressions of our planet, each defined by a unique tapestry of physical attributes. These characteristics include the processes that forged them, their inherent shape, their elevation above the surrounding terrain, the steepness of their slopes, their orientation relative to the sun and prevailing winds, the very rocks exposed upon their surfaces, and the composition of the soil that may cling to them. It’s a rather exhaustive list, isn’t it? As if the Earth itself needs a meticulous inventory.

Landforms by Process

This is where things get… categorized. Landforms are organized by the forces that brought them into being. It’s a rather neat, if somewhat sterile, way to dissect the world.

Aeolian Landforms

These are the whispers of the wind made manifest. Aeolian landforms are sculpted by the tireless action of air currents, carrying sand and dust across the landscape.

Dry lake : A stark reminder of where water once was, now a flat expanse that held a standing surface water body. Utterly devoid of life, usually.
Sandhill : These are more than just hills of sand; they are ecological communities, often maintained by the very destructive force of xeric wildfires. Nature’s resilience, I suppose. Or perhaps just a preference for a rather monotonous landscape.
Ventifact : A rock that has been deliberately, and rather rudely, eroded by wind-driven sand or ice crystals. It’s like nature’s own sandpaper, but with a much longer timeline.
Yardang : Imagine a streamlined sculpture carved by the wind. That’s a yardang for you – an aeolian landform shaped by relentless abrasion.

Coastal and Oceanic Landforms

This category is a bit more… dramatic. It’s where the land surrenders to the vast, indifferent ocean, or where the ocean itself carves out its own subterranean kingdoms.

Further information can be found under Coastal geography and Physical oceanography . For those with an insatiable appetite for the deep, there’s also a List of submarine topographical features .

Abyssal fan : Underwater geological structures, essentially vast deposits of sediment that fan out from the base of the continental slope. Think of it as the ocean floor’s own alluvial fan, but on a scale that dwarfs anything terrestrial.
Abyssal plain : An almost impossibly flat area on the deep ocean floor. It’s the ultimate expression of stillness, stretching out into an abyss.
Archipelago : A collection of islands. A scattered, defiant scattering of land amidst the endless blue.
Atoll : A ring-shaped coral reef, often encircling a lagoon. It’s a fragile, beautiful structure, a testament to the slow, persistent work of tiny organisms.
Arch : A graceful, arch-shaped natural rock formation. Nature’s own architectural marvel, often found clinging precariously to coastlines.
Ayre : A rather specific term for shingle beaches found in Orkney and Shetland. A rather bleak, windswept beauty.
Barrier bar : A natural submerged sandbank that rises near enough to the surface to impede navigation. It’s a subtle warning, a submerged lip.
Barrier island : A coastal dune landform, parallel to the mainland coast, shaped by the ceaseless dance of waves and tides. A fragile defense against the sea.
Bay : A recessed, coastal body of water. A gentle embrace of the land by the ocean, or a lake.
Baymouth bar : A sandbar that effectively seals off an estuary lagoon. A geological cork, if you will.
Beach : The familiar, often gritty, edge of a body of water. A zone of loose particles, perpetually reshaped.
Raised beach : A coastal landform that has been uplifted, leaving an ancient shoreline exposed above the current sea level. A ghost of a former coast.
Beach cusps : These are the intricate, arc-patterned formations of sediment on a shoreline. A kind of natural embroidery.
Beach ridge : A wave-deposited ridge running parallel to the shore. A subtle testament to past storm surges.
Bight : A gently curving indentation in a coastline or river. A shallow, welcoming curve.
Blowhole : A hole at the top of a sea cave, through which waves can force water or spray. A dramatic exhalation of the sea.
Channel : A narrow body of water. A conduit, a pathway.
Cape : A significant headland jutting out into the sea. A bold, defiant finger of land.
Calanque : A narrow inlet characteristic of the Mediterranean coast. Steep, often dramatic, and teeming with a certain wild beauty.
Cliff : A sheer, near-vertical rock face. The unyielding edge of the land.
Coast : The boundary where land meets the sea or ocean. A zone of constant flux.
Continental shelf : The submerged edge of a continent, sloping gently down to the deep ocean floor. A vast, underwater plateau.
Coral reef : An intricate structure of rock formed by the skeletal remains of stony corals. A vibrant, living architecture.
Cove : A small, sheltered bay. A hidden, intimate embrace of the coast.
Cuspate foreland : Distinctive geographical features found on coastlines, often triangular in shape, formed by deposition.
Dune system : Hills of loose sand, shaped by the wind. Ever-shifting, yet enduring.
Estuary : A partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water, where freshwater rivers meet the sea. A zone of transition.
Firth : A Scottish term for various coastal inlets and straits. Often broad and significant.
Fjard : A glacially formed, broad, and shallow inlet. A gentler cousin to the fjord.
Fjord : A long, narrow inlet with steep sides, carved by glacial activity. Majestic, imposing, and deeply cut into the land.
Geo : An inlet, gully, or deep cleft in a cliff face. A scar left by the relentless sea.
Gulf : A large, recessed body of water connected to an ocean or lake. A grand indentation.
Headland : Land extending into the water, often with significant height and a dramatic drop. A promontory of power.
Inlet : An indentation of a shoreline. A small bite taken out of the land.
Island : A piece of land completely surrounded by water. Solitary, independent.
Islet : A very small island. A mere speck.
Isthmus : A narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses. A fragile bridge.
Lagoon : A shallow body of water separated from a larger body by a narrow landform. A sheltered, often saline, pool.
Machair : A fertile, low-lying grassy plain, typically found in Scotland and Ireland. A rare, verdant expanse.
Marine terrace : An emergent coastal landform, a former sea-bed lifted above sea level. A staircase of ancient shorelines.
Mid-ocean ridge : An underwater mountain system formed by the spreading of tectonic plates. The planet’s restless spine.
Oceanic basin : The vast, geological depressions that lie beneath the deep sea. The planet’s lowest, darkest plains.
Oceanic plateau : A relatively flat submarine region that rises significantly above the surrounding seabed. Underwater highlands.
Oceanic ridge : Another term for the underwater mountain systems formed by plate tectonics.
Oceanic trench : Long, narrow, and incredibly deep depressions on the ocean floor. The planet’s deepest wounds.
Peninsula : A land feature almost entirely surrounded by water, but connected to the mainland. A land reaching out.
Ria : A coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of a river valley. A drowned river mouth.
River delta : The silt-deposition landform at the mouth of a river. A fan of nourishment.
Salt marsh : A coastal ecosystem regularly flooded by saltwater. A transitional zone of unique life.
Sea cave : A cave formed by the relentless action of wave erosion along coastlines. The sea’s patient excavations.
Seamount : A mountain rising from the ocean floor that doesn’t quite reach the surface. An underwater peak.
Seamount chains : Lines of seamounts, often formed by volcanic activity. Underwater mountain ranges.
Shoal : A natural submerged sandbank. A hazard to navigation, a shallowing of the depths.
Shore : The broad area where land meets the sea or ocean. A dynamic interface.
Sound : A long, wide body of water connecting two larger bodies of water. A broad passage.
Spit : A coastal bar or beach deposited by longshore drift. A slender finger of sediment.
Strait : A narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water. A crucial, often strategic, passage.
Strandflat : A distinctive landform found in high-latitude areas, characterized by a broad, low-lying coastal plain.
Stack : A steep column of rock standing in the sea, often a remnant of coastal erosion. A solitary sentinel.
Submarine canyon : Steep-sided valleys carved into the seabed of the continental slope. Underwater ravines.
Surge channel : A specific type of coastal landform, often associated with intense wave action.
Tessellated pavement : A remarkably flat rock surface fractured into regular shapes. Nature’s mosaic.
Tidal marsh : A marsh subject to the ebb and flow of tides. A saline, intertidal zone.
Tide pool : Rocky pools left behind on the seashore at low tide, teeming with miniature life.
Tombolo : A deposition landform connecting an island to the mainland with a sand or gravel isthmus. A land bridge formed by the sea.
Volcanic arc : A chain of volcanoes formed above a subducting tectonic plate. A fiery line on the Earth’s surface.
Wave-cut platform : A narrow, flat area created by the erosive action of waves at sea level. A smoothed edge of the land.

Cryogenic Landforms

These are the icy sculptures of the world, landforms shaped by or existing in low-temperature environments.

Blockfield : A surface covered by a chaotic mantle of irregular rocks, often found in periglacial areas.
Cryoplanation terrace : Plains and terraces formed in periglacial environments through frost action.
Earth hummocks : Small, raised mounds found above ground in certain cold climates.
Kurum : A mantle of loose rocks slowly creeping down gentle slopes in cold regions.
Lithalsa : Frost-induced raised landforms in permafrost areas, often with an ice core.
Nivation hollow : Geomorphic processes associated with the action of snow patches, leading to small depressions.
Palsa : Low mounds formed by frost heave in polar and subpolar climates.
Permafrost plateau : Another term for palsas, emphasizing their plateau-like formation.
Pingo : A mound of earth-covered ice, a striking feature of periglacial landscapes.
Rock glacier : A glacial landform composed of rock debris that moves downslope, often resembling a frozen river of stone.
Solifluction lobes and sheets : Features created by freeze-thaw mass wasting on slopes in cold environments.
Thermokarst : An irregular land surface of hollows and hummocks formed when permafrost thaws. A landscape of collapse.

Erosion Landforms

These landforms are the result of erosion and weathering , often found in rocky or fluvial environments. They showcase the relentless power of natural forces to shape and sculpt.

Arête : A narrow, sharp ridge of rock separating two glacial valleys. A knife-edge of stone.
Badlands : A type of heavily eroded terrain, characterized by steep slopes, minimal vegetation, and intricate drainage patterns. A harsh, sculpted landscape.
Bornhardt : A large, dome-shaped, steep-sided rock formation, often isolated in a flatter landscape. A geological dome.
Butte : An isolated hill with steep sides and a small, flat top. A remnant of a larger plateau.
Canyon : A deep chasm between cliffs, carved by rivers or tectonic forces. A dramatic cut into the earth.
Cave : A natural void or opening in the ground, often formed by dissolution of rock or erosional processes.
Cirque : An amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. A hollow carved at the head of a glacier.
Cliff : A tall, near-vertical rock face. The sheer edge of the land.
Chink : A regional term, particularly in Central Asia , for steep chalk and limestone escarpments and cliffs.
Cryoplanation terrace : Plains and terraces formed in periglacial environments through frost action.
Cuesta : A hill or ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a steep slope on the other, formed by differential erosion of dipping rock strata.
Danxia : A unique erosive landform found in China, characterized by red sandstone formations.
Dissected plateau : A plateau area that has been severely eroded, resulting in sharp relief.
Erg : A broad, sandy desert area shaped by wind. A sea of sand.
Etchplain : A plain where the bedrock has undergone considerable subsurface weathering, creating a relatively flat, but often uneven, surface.
Exhumed river channel : A ridge of sandstone that remains after softer surrounding rock has eroded away, revealing an ancient riverbed.
Fjord : A long, narrow inlet with steep sides, carved by glacial activity. Majestic, imposing, and deeply cut into the land.
Flared slope : A rock wall that smoothly transitions into a concavity at its base, often a result of weathering and erosion.
Flatiron : A steep, triangular landform, often a remnant of erosion.
Gulch : A deep, V-shaped valley formed by erosion, typically in arid or semi-arid regions.
Gully : A landform created by running water or mass movement, carving sharply into soil. A small, eroded channel.
Hogback : A long, narrow ridge with steep slopes on both sides, formed by the erosion of steeply dipping rock strata.
Hoodoo : A tall, thin spire of rock, often capped by a harder layer, sculpted by erosion. A natural totem.
Homoclinal ridge : A ridge with a moderate slope on its back and a steeper slope on its front, formed by dipping strata.
Inselberg : An isolated, steep-sided rock hill rising abruptly from a surrounding plain. Also known as a monadnock.
Inverted relief : Landscape features where elevated areas are formed from resistant rock that was once a depression, and vice versa. A reversal of fortune.
Lavaka : A specific type of gully formed by groundwater sapping, common in Madagascar.
Limestone pavement : A natural karst landform consisting of a flat, exposed surface of limestone, dissected by fissures.
Mesa : An elevated area of land with a flat top and steep sides, significantly wider than it is tall. A table of stone.
Mushroom rock : A rock formation eroded into a mushroom shape, typically by wind abrasion.
Natural arch : An arch-shaped natural rock formation, carved by erosion.
Paleoplain: A buried erosion surface, a vast, ancient plain now hidden beneath younger geological deposits.
Pediment : A very gently sloping inclined bedrock surface, often found at the base of mountains.
Pediplain : An extensive plain formed by the coalescence of multiple pediments.
Peneplain : A low-relief plain formed by prolonged erosion. The near-final stage of landscape flattening.
Planation surface : A large-scale, almost flat land surface created by erosional processes.
Potrero : A long mesa that slopes upward at one end.
Ridge : A long, narrow, elevated landform.
Rôche moutonnée : A rock formation shaped by the passage of a glacier, with a smooth, gently sloping upstream side and a steep, jagged downstream side.
Strike ridge : Another term for a homoclinal ridge.
Structural bench : A long, relatively narrow landform bounded by steeper slopes above and below, often formed by differential erosion of rock layers.
Structural terrace : A step-like landform created by differential erosion.
Tepui : Table-top mountains or mesas found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, with sheer vertical sides.
Tessellated pavement : A remarkably flat rock surface fractured into regular shapes. Nature’s mosaic.
Truncated spur : A ridge that has been cut short as it descends towards a valley floor or coastline, often by glacial action.
Tor : A large, free-standing rock outcrop found on a gentle hill summit.
Valley : A low area between hills or mountains, often containing a river or stream.
Wave-cut platform : A narrow, flat area created by the erosive action of waves at sea level.
Wind gap : A topographic gap in a ridge, formed by a former waterway that has since been abandoned.

Fluvial Landforms

These are the landforms shaped by the constant, flowing motion of freshwater streams.

For a more comprehensive list, consult the List of fluvial landforms .

Fluvial landforms are those created by natural flowing freshwater streams .
Ait : A small river island, a term used primarily in British English.
Alluvial fan : A fan-shaped deposit of sediment where a river emerges from a narrow valley onto a plain.
Anabranch : A part of a river or stream that diverges from and then rejoins the main channel. A temporary detour.
Arroyo : A dry watercourse that carries flow only after rainfall. A testament to ephemeral water.
Asymmetric valley : A valley with noticeably steeper slopes on one side than the other.
Backswamp : An environment on a floodplain where finer sediments settle after a flood, often a low-lying, poorly drained area.
Bajada : A compound alluvial fan, formed by the merging of several smaller fans.
Bar : A submerged ridge of sand or gravel built by currents or waves.
Bayou : A body of slow-moving water in flat, low-lying areas, common in the southern United States.
Bench : A long, relatively narrow landform bounded by distinctly steeper slopes above and below, often formed by differential erosion.
Braided channel : A network of river channels that divide and rejoin, creating a complex, interwoven pattern.
Canyon : A deep chasm between cliffs, carved by rivers or tectonic forces. A dramatic cut into the earth.
Cave : A natural void or opening in the ground, often formed by dissolution of rock or erosional processes.
Cliff : A tall, near-vertical rock face. The sheer edge of the land.
Cut bank : The outside bank of a water channel, which is continually undergoing erosion. The river’s aggressive edge.
Crevasse splay : Sediment deposited on a floodplain when a stream breaks through its levees. A flood’s signature.
Confluence : The meeting of two or more bodies of flowing water. A joining of streams.
Drainage basin : The land area where all surface water converges to a common outlet, such as a river or ocean.
Drainage divide : Elevated terrain that separates neighboring drainage basins. The high ground where water splits.
Endorheic basin : A closed drainage basin that has no outflow to the sea. Water evaporates or seeps away.
Entrenched meander : A meander that has been cut deeply into the landscape, often due to uplift. A river’s ancient curve preserved in stone.
Epigenetic valley : A valley created by erosion that shows little or no sympathy for the underlying bedrock structure.
Esker : A long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel, deposited by meltwater streams flowing within or beneath a glacier. A glacial remnant.
Exhumed river channel : A ridge of sandstone that remains after softer surrounding rock has eroded away, revealing an ancient riverbed.
Floodplain : The flat land adjacent to a water body that is periodically flooded. A land of fertile deposits and periodic inundation.
Fluvial island : An exposed landmass within a river.
Fluvial terrace : Elongated terraces flanking river valleys and floodplains, representing former levels of the river.
Gorge : A deep chasm between cliffs, carved by rivers or tectonic forces. A dramatic cut into the earth.
Gully : A landform created by running water or mass movement, carving sharply into soil. A small, eroded channel.
Levee : A ridge or wall built to hold back water, either natural or artificial.
Marsh : A low-lying area of land that is waterlogged or seasonally flooded, typically dominated by herbaceous plants.
Meander : One of a series of curves in the channel of a mature stream. The river’s sinuous path.
Misfit stream : A river that is too large or too small to have eroded the valley or cave passage in which it flows, suggesting a change in conditions.
Narrows : A restricted passage of land or water.
Oxbow lake : A U-shaped lake or pool left behind when a meander is cut off from a river. A crescent of still water.
Point bar : A depositional landform found on the inside bend of a stream or river.
Plunge pool : A depression at the base of a waterfall, carved by the force of the falling water.
Pothole : A natural bowl-shaped hollow carved into a streambed by the swirling action of water and sediment.
Rapids : A section of a river or stream where the water flows with increased velocity and turbulence, often due to a steeper gradient or obstructions.
Riffle : A shallow landform in a flowing channel, characterized by faster-flowing water.
River : A natural flowing freshwater stream. The lifeblood of the landscape.
River delta : The silt-deposition landform at the mouth of a river. A fan of nourishment.
River island : An exposed landmass within a river.
Rock-cut basin : A cylindrical depression carved into stream or river beds, often by the abrasive action of water and debris.
Shut-in : A type of rock formation found in streams, often creating constricted passages.
Thalweg : The line of lowest elevation in a watercourse or valley. The deepest path of the flow.
Towhead : Another term for an exposed landmass within a river.
Shoal : A submerged ridge of sand or gravel built by currents or waves.
Spring : A point at which groundwater emerges from an aquifer to the surface. Nature’s faucet.
Strath : A large, broad valley, often with a gently sloping floor.
Stream : A body of surface water flowing down a channel. The fundamental unit of fluvial action.
Stream pool : A deep and slow-moving stretch of a watercourse. A quiet eddy.
Swamp : A forested wetland, characterized by standing water and trees adapted to waterlogged conditions.
Valley : A low area between hills or mountains, often containing a river or stream.
Vale : Another term for a low area between hills, often with a river running through it.
Wadi : A dry riverbed or valley in an arid region that floods after rainfall. A desert’s fleeting artery.
Waterfall : A point where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Nature’s dramatic descent.
Watershed : The land area where all surface water converges to a common outlet, such as a river or ocean.
Yazoo stream : A hydrologic term for a tributary stream that runs roughly parallel to a larger river for a distance before eventually joining it, often separated by a levee.
V-shaped valley : A valley with steep slopes that form a distinct “V” shape, typically carved by a river.

Impact Landforms

These are the scars left by cosmic collisions. Landforms created by the extraterrestrial impacts of astronomical objects.

Central peak : The uplifted center of large impact craters. A dramatic rebound.
Complex crater : Large impact craters characterized by their uplifted central structures.
Cratered landscape: An area dominated by numerous impact craters. A pockmarked surface.
Ejecta blanket : The layer of material thrown out from an impact crater during the impact event.
Impact crater : A circular depression formed by the impact of a smaller object onto a solid astronomical body.
Impact crater lake : A lake that has formed within the depression of an impact crater.
Simple crater : A basic, bowl-shaped impact crater, typically smaller than complex craters.

Lacustrine Landforms

These landforms are associated with lakes , the still waters that punctuate the landscape.

Beach : The area of loose particles at the edge of a lake.
Raised beach : An ancient shoreline of a former lake, now exposed above the current water level.
Carolina bay : Elliptical depressions found along the Atlantic seaboard of North America, their origin debated but often associated with ancient lake beds or other processes.
Dry lake : An area that once contained a standing surface water body. A memory of water.
Chott : A type of dry lake found in the Saharan region of Africa, often characterized by salt deposits.
Endorheic basin : A closed drainage basin with no outflow, where lakes may form if water input exceeds evaporation.
Lacustrine plain : Flat plains formed by sediment deposition in former lake beds.
Lacustrine terraces : Step-like landforms marking former shorelines of a lake.
Lake : A large inland body of relatively still water.
Oasis : A fertile area in a desert environment, often sustained by a lake or groundwater source.
Oxbow lake : A U-shaped lake or pool left behind when a meander is cut off from a river. A crescent of still water.
Parallel Roads of Glen Roy : Ancient shoreline terraces in Scotland, marking the former levels of glacial lakes.
Pond : A relatively small body of standing water.
Proglacial lake : A lake formed by the action of ice, often at the margin of a melting glacier.
Salt pan : A flat expanse of ground covered with salt and other minerals, often the remnant of a dried-up lake. Also known as a salt flat.

Mountain and Glacial Landforms

These are the majestic, often formidable, landforms sculpted by ice and elevation.

Arête : A narrow, sharp ridge of rock separating two glacial valleys. A knife-edge of stone.
Cirque : An amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. A hollow carved at the head of a glacier.
Col : The lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks. A mountain pass.
Crevasse : A deep crack or fracture in an ice sheet or glacier. A dangerous split.
Corrie : Another term for a cirque, an amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion.
Cove (mountain) : A small valley nestled between two ridge lines in mountainous regions.
Dirt cone : A depositional glacial feature composed of ice or snow covered by an insulating layer of dirt.
Drumlin : An elongated hill formed by glacial action, often found in groups known as drumlin fields . A streamlined glacial deposit.
Esker : A long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel, deposited by meltwater streams flowing within or beneath a glacier. A glacial remnant.
Fjord : A long, narrow inlet with steep sides, carved by glacial activity. Majestic, imposing, and deeply cut into the land.
Fluvial terrace : Elongated terraces flanking river valleys and floodplains, representing former levels of the river.
Flyggberg : An isolated, steep rock hill rising abruptly from a surrounding plain. Also known as an inselberg or monadnock.
Glacier : A persistent body of ice that moves slowly downhill under its own weight. A river of ice.
Glacier cave : A cave formed within the ice of a glacier. An ephemeral world of ice.
Glacier foreland : The area between the leading edge of a glacier and its furthest extent (moraines).
Hanging valley : A tributary valley that meets a larger valley above the main valley floor, often forming a waterfall. A suspended valley.
Highland : An area of high elevation, such as a mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau.
Hill : A landform that extends above the surrounding terrain, but is generally smaller than a mountain.
Inselberg : An isolated, steep-sided rock hill rising abruptly from a surrounding plain. Also known as a monadnock.
Kame : A mound formed on a retreating glacier and deposited on land as the ice melts. A glacial hill.
Kame delta : A glacial meltwater landform, often a mound or ridge of sand and gravel.
Kettle : A depression or hole in an outwash plain formed by the melting of buried ice blocks. A glacial pothole.
Moraine : A glacially formed accumulation of debris, marking the path or extent of a glacier.
Rogen moraine : Ridges deposited by a glacier or ice sheet transverse to the direction of ice flow. Also known as ribbed moraines.
Moulin : A shaft within a glacier or ice sheet through which meltwater enters from the surface. A glacial well.
Mountain : A large natural elevation of the Earth’s surface, significantly higher than a hill.
Mountain pass : A route through a mountain range or over a ridge.
Mountain range : A geographic area containing several geologically related mountains.
Nunatak : An exposed area of rock or ice that protrudes above an ice field or glacier. A rocky island in a sea of ice.
Proglacial lake : A lake formed by the action of ice, often at the margin of a melting glacier.
Pyramidal peak : An angular, sharply pointed mountainous peak formed by the erosion of glacial cirques on multiple sides. Also known as a glacial horn.
Outwash fan : A fan-shaped deposit of sediment transported by meltwater from a glacier.
Outwash plain : A plain formed from glacier sediment transported by meltwater. Also known as a sandur.
Rift valley : A linear lowland created by a tectonic rift or fault. A valley formed by the Earth pulling apart.
Rôche moutonnée : A rock formation shaped by the passage of a glacier, with a smooth, gently sloping upstream side and a steep, jagged downstream side.
Sandur : A plain formed from glacier sediment transported by meltwater.
Side valley : A valley that is a tributary to a larger river valley.
Summit : The highest point on a surface, typically a mountain.
Trim line : A clear line on the side of a valley marking the highest extent of a past glacier. A glacial waterline.
Truncated spur : A ridge that has been cut short as it descends towards a valley floor or coastline, often by glacial action.
Tunnel valley : A glacial-formed geographic feature, a long, steep-sided valley carved by subglacial meltwater.
Valley : A low area between hills or mountains, often containing a river or stream.
U-shaped valley : Valleys formed by the scouring action of glaciers, characterized by steep sides and a broad, flat floor. A hallmark of glacial erosion.

Slope Landforms

These landforms are defined by their inclination, the gradient of the land’s surface.

Bluff : A tall, near-vertical rock face. A steep embankment.
Butte : An isolated hill with steep sides and a small, flat top. A remnant of a larger plateau.
Canyon : A deep chasm between cliffs, carved by rivers or tectonic forces. A dramatic cut into the earth.
Cliff : A tall, near-vertical rock face. The sheer edge of the land.
Col : The lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks. A mountain pass.
Cuesta : A hill or ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a steep slope on the other, formed by differential erosion of dipping rock strata.
Dale : Another term for a low area between hills, often with a river running through it.
Defile : A narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills.
Dell : A small, secluded hollow, often wooded.
Doab : The land between two converging or confluent rivers. Also known as an interfluve.
Draw : A long area of downward-sloping low ground, often a dry watercourse.
Escarpment : A steep slope or cliff separating two relatively level regions. Also known as a scarp.
Flat (landform) : A relatively level surface of land within a region of greater relief.
Glen : A name for a valley commonly used in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.
Gully : A landform created by running water or mass movement, carving sharply into soil. A small, eroded channel.
Hill : A landform that extends above the surrounding terrain, but is generally smaller than a mountain.
Hillock : A small hill. Also known as a knoll.
Mesa : An elevated area of land with a flat top and steep sides, significantly wider than it is tall. A table of stone.
Mountain pass : A route through a mountain range or over a ridge.
Plain : An expanse of land that is mostly flat.
Plateau : A highland area, usually of relatively flat terrain. A tableland.
Ravine : A small valley, often deeply incised by stream erosion.
Ridge : A long, narrow, elevated landform.
Rock shelter : A shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff.
Saddle : A landform connecting two higher points, resembling a saddle.
Scree : Broken rock fragments accumulated at the base of a cliff. Talus.
Solifluction lobes and sheets : Features created by freeze-thaw mass wasting on slopes in cold environments.
Strath : A large, broad valley, often with a gently sloping floor.
Summit : The highest point on a surface, typically a mountain.
Terrace : A step-like landform, often created by erosion or deposition.
Terracette : Small, natural step-arranged soil ridges on hillsides, often formed by subtle slope processes.
Vale : Another term for a low area between hills, often with a river running through it.
Valley : A low area between hills or mountains, often containing a river or stream.
Valley shoulder : The upper part of a valley slope, often marking the transition to flatter terrain.

Tectonic Landforms

These landforms are the direct result of the Earth’s internal movements – plate tectonics, faulting, and volcanic activity.

Asymmetric valley : A valley with noticeably steeper slopes on one side than the other, potentially influenced by tectonic tilting.
Dome : A geological structure where rock layers are warped upwards into a dome shape.
Faceted spur : A ridge that has been truncated, its original slope altered by faulting or erosion.
Fault scarp : A small vertical offset on the ground surface created by a fault rupture. A step in the land.
Graben : A depressed block of the Earth’s crust bordered by parallel normal faults. A down-dropped valley.
Horst : A raised fault block bounded by normal faults. An uplifted block.
Mid-ocean ridge : An underwater mountain system formed by the spreading of tectonic plates. The planet’s restless spine.
Mud volcano : A landform created by the eruption of mud, slurries, water, and gases, often associated with tectonic activity.
Oceanic trench : Long, narrow, and incredibly deep depressions on the ocean floor, typically formed at subduction zones. The planet’s deepest wounds.
Pull-apart basin : A type of basin in geology formed along strike-slip faults where the fault bends.
Rift valley : A linear lowland created by a tectonic rift or fault. A valley formed by the Earth pulling apart.
Sand boil : A cone formed by the ejection of sand onto a surface from a central point, often associated with seismic activity or fluid escape. Also known as a sand volcano.

Volcanic Landforms

These are the dramatic expressions of the Earth’s fiery interior, landforms created by volcanic activity.

Caldera : A cauldron-like volcanic feature formed by the emptying of a magma chamber, leading to collapse. A vast volcanic depression.
Cinder cone : A steep hill of pyroclastic fragments formed around a volcanic vent. A classic volcanic cone.
Complex volcano : A volcano formed from more than one related volcanic center, often showing multiple vents and eruption styles.
Cryptodome : A roughly circular protrusion formed by slowly extruded viscous volcanic lava beneath the surface.
Cryovolcano : A volcano that erupts gases and volatile materials, rather than molten rock, common on icy celestial bodies.
Diatreme : A volcanic pipe formed by a gaseous explosion, often filled with fragmented rock.
Dike : A sheet of rock formed in a fracture within pre-existing rock bodies, often from magma intrusion.
Fissure vent : A linear volcanic vent through which lava erupts, creating curtain-like flows.
Geyser : A natural explosive eruption of hot water and steam from the Earth’s crust.
Guyot : A flat-topped underwater mountain, often a seamount that has been eroded at the surface.
Hornito : Conical structures built up by lava ejected from an opening in the crust of a lava flow. Small lava spires.
Kīpuka : An area of land surrounded by one or more younger lava flows. An island of older landscape within a sea of lava.
Lava : Molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption.
Lava dome : A roughly circular protrusion formed by slowly extruded viscous volcanic lava.
Lava coulee : Another term for a lava dome.
Lava field : A large, mostly flat area covered by lava flows. Also known as a lava plain.
Lava lake : Molten lava contained within a volcanic crater or depression.
Lava spine : A vertical growth of solid volcanic lava, often sharp and needle-like.
Lava tube : A natural conduit through which lava flows beneath the solid surface of a lava flow.
Maar : A low-relief volcanic crater, often formed by phreatomagmatic eruptions (explosions involving groundwater).
Malpais : A rough and barren landscape of relict and largely uneroded lava fields.
Mamelon : A rock formation created by the eruption of relatively thick or stiff lava through a narrow vent.
Mid-ocean ridge : An underwater mountain system formed by the spreading of tectonic plates. The planet’s restless spine.
Pit crater : A depression formed by the collapse of the surface into an underlying void, often associated with volcanic activity.
Pyroclastic shield : A shield volcano formed primarily of pyroclastic material from highly explosive eruptions.
Resurgent dome : A volcanic landform created by the uplift of the ground surface due to magma movement beneath.
Rootless cone : A volcanic landform that resembles a cone but is not directly connected to a magma source. Also known as a pseudocrater.
Seamount : A mountain rising from the ocean floor that does not reach the water’s surface.
Shield volcano : A low-profile volcano usually formed almost entirely of fluid lava flows. Broad and gently sloping.
Stratocone : Another term for a stratovolcano.
Stratovolcano : A type of conical volcano composed of layers of lava and tephra. Steep-sided and conical.
Somma volcano : A volcanic caldera that has been partially filled by a new central cone, forming a ring-like structure.
Spatter cone : A small cone formed by the accumulation of ejected lava fragments around a volcanic vent.
Volcanic crater lake : A lake that has formed within the depression of a volcanic crater.
Subglacial mound : A volcano formed when lava erupts beneath a thick glacier or ice sheet.
Submarine volcano : Underwater vents or fissures from which magma erupts.
Supervolcano : A volcano capable of producing eruptions with a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 8, the largest magnitude.
Tuff cone : A cone formed by the accumulation of volcanic ash and other ejected debris around a vent.
Tuya : A flat-topped, steep-sided volcano formed when lava erupts through a thick glacier or ice sheet.
Volcanic vent : A rupture in a planet’s crust through which volcanic material escapes.
Volcanic cone : A cone-shaped landform built up by ejected volcanic material.
Volcanic crater : A roughly circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity.
Volcanic dam : A natural dam formed by volcanic activity, such as a lava flow or debris.
Volcanic field : An area of Earth’s crust prone to localized volcanic activity, often with multiple vents.
Volcanic group : A collection of related volcanoes or volcanic landforms in a specific area.
Volcanic island : An island formed by volcanic activity, rising from the sea floor.
Volcanic plateau : A plateau formed by extensive lava flows.
Volcanic plug : Volcanic material that has hardened within a vent, effectively sealing it. A solidified remnant.
Volcano : A rupture in a planet’s crust where material escapes from below.

Weathering Landforms

These landforms are the result of the slow, persistent breakdown of rocks through physical, chemical, and biological processes.

Bornhardt : A large, dome-shaped, steep-sided rock formation, often isolated in a flatter landscape. A geological dome.
Etchplain : A plain where the bedrock has undergone considerable subsurface weathering, creating a relatively flat, but often uneven, surface.
Flared slope : A rock wall that smoothly transitions into a concavity at its base, often a result of weathering and erosion.
Fluting (geology) : Grooves or channels carved into rock surfaces by weathering and erosion.
Honeycomb weathering : A form of cavernous weathering where small, hollows or pits form on rock surfaces. A subcategory of tafoni.
Inselberg : An isolated, steep-sided rock hill rising abruptly from a surrounding plain. Also known as a monadnock.
Karst : Topography formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, such as limestone, leading to distinctive features like sinkholes and caves.
Nubbin : A small hill of bedrock with rounded residual blocks, often found in weathered landscapes.
Panhole : A depression or basin eroded into flat or gently sloping cohesive rock. Also known as a weathering pit.
Tafoni : Small to large indentations or hollows in vertical to steeply sloping granular rock, formed by weathering.
Tor : A large, free-standing rock outcrop found on a gentle hill summit.

Landforms by Shape

Landforms can also be categorized by their fundamental geometric forms.

Positive Landforms

These are the elevated features, the bumps and mounds on the Earth’s surface.

Bornhardt : A large, dome-shaped, steep-sided rock formation, often isolated in a flatter landscape. A geological dome.
Cinder cone : A steep hill of pyroclastic fragments formed around a volcanic vent. A classic volcanic cone.
Cryptodome : A roughly circular protrusion formed by slowly extruded viscous volcanic lava beneath the surface.
Dome : A geological structure where rock layers are warped upwards into a dome shape.
Drumlin : An elongated hill formed by glacial action, often found in groups. A streamlined glacial deposit.
Granite dome : Rounded hills of bare granite formed by exfoliation, a type of weathering.
Hillock : A small hill. Also known as a knoll.
Inselberg : An isolated, steep-sided rock hill rising abruptly from a surrounding plain. Also known as a monadnock.
Lava dome : A roughly circular protrusion formed by slowly extruded viscous volcanic lava.
Lava spine : A vertical growth of solid volcanic lava, often sharp and needle-like.
Mesa : An elevated area of land with a flat top and steep sides, significantly wider than it is tall. A table of stone.
Mogote : A steep-sided residual hill of limestone, marble, or dolomite on a flat plain, characteristic of karst landscapes.
Nubbin : A small hill of bedrock with rounded residual blocks, often found in weathered landscapes.
Palsa : Low mounds formed by frost heave in polar and subpolar climates.
Pingo : A mound of earth-covered ice, a striking feature of periglacial landscapes.
Pyroclastic shield : A shield volcano formed primarily of pyroclastic material from highly explosive eruptions.
Resurgent dome : A volcanic landform created by the uplift of the ground surface due to magma movement beneath.
Seamount : A mountain rising from the ocean floor that does not reach the water’s surface.
Shield volcano : A low-profile volcano usually formed almost entirely of fluid lava flows. Broad and gently sloping.
Stratocone : Another term for a stratovolcano.
Stratovolcano : A type of conical volcano composed of layers of lava and tephra. Steep-sided and conical.
Tor : A large, free-standing rock outcrop found on a gentle hill summit.
Tower karst : Tall, steep structures of soluble rock, a dramatic form of karst topography.
Tuya : A flat-topped, steep-sided volcano formed when lava erupts through a thick glacier or ice sheet.
Volcanic cone : A cone-shaped landform built up by ejected volcanic material.
Volcanic island : An island formed by volcanic activity, rising from the sea floor.

Depressions

These are the sunken areas, the hollows and voids in the landscape.

Caldera : A cauldron-like volcanic feature formed by the emptying of a magma chamber, leading to collapse. A vast volcanic depression.
Cave : A natural void or opening in the ground, often formed by dissolution of rock or erosional processes.
Cenote : A natural pit or sinkhole that exposes groundwater underneath, common in limestone regions.
Cirque : An amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. A hollow carved at the head of a glacier.
Crevasse : A deep crack or fracture in an ice sheet or glacier. A dangerous split.
Deflation hollow : Depressions in a sand dune ecosystem caused by the removal of sediments by wind.
Doline : A geologically-formed topological depression, often formed by the dissolution of soluble rock.
Gnamma : A depression or basin eroded into flat or gently sloping cohesive rock, often filled with water.
Graben : A depressed block of the Earth’s crust bordered by parallel normal faults. A down-dropped valley.
Honeycomb weathering : A form of cavernous weathering where small, hollows or pits form on rock surfaces.
Impact crater : A circular depression formed by the impact of a smaller object onto a solid astronomical body.
Joint valley : A valley formed along a joint or fracture in the rock.
Kettle : A depression or hole in an outwash plain formed by the melting of buried ice blocks. A glacial pothole.
Lagoon : A shallow body of water separated from a larger body by a narrow landform. A sheltered, often saline, pool.
Lake : A large inland body of relatively still water.
Lava lake : Molten lava contained within a volcanic crater or depression.
Maar : A low-relief volcanic crater, often formed by phreatomagmatic eruptions.
Nivation hollow : Geomorphic processes associated with the action of snow patches, leading to small depressions.
Oxbow lake : A U-shaped lake or pool left behind when a meander is cut off from a river. A crescent of still water.
Panhole : A depression or basin eroded into flat or gently sloping cohesive rock. Also known as a weathering pit.
Plunge pool : A depression at the base of a waterfall, carved by the force of the falling water.
Pond : A relatively small body of standing water.
Pull-apart basin : A type of basin in geology formed along strike-slip faults where the fault bends.
Quarry : A place where geological material has been excavated, often creating a significant depression.
Rift : A part of a volcano where a set of linear cracks forms, often associated with subsidence or extension.
Sea cave : A cave formed by the relentless action of wave erosion along coastlines. The sea’s patient excavations.
Sinkhole : A geologically-formed topological depression, often formed by the dissolution of soluble rock.
Sor : A closed, drainless depression characteristic of the Central Asian deserts.
Tafoni : Small to large indentations or hollows in vertical to steeply sloping granular rock, formed by weathering.
Thermokarst : An irregular land surface of hollows and hummocks formed when permafrost thaws. A landscape of collapse.
Volcanic crater : A roughly circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity.
Volcanic dam : A natural dam formed by volcanic activity, such as a lava flow or debris.

Flat Landforms

These are the expansive, level surfaces that stretch across the landscape.

Abyssal fan : Underwater geological structures, essentially vast deposits of sediment that fan out from the base of the continental slope.
Abyssal plain : An almost impossibly flat area on the deep ocean floor. It’s the ultimate expression of stillness, stretching out into an abyss.
Bench : A long, relatively narrow landform bounded by distinctly steeper slopes above and below, often formed by differential erosion.
Butte : An isolated hill with steep sides and a small, flat top. A remnant of a larger plateau.
Coastal plain : An area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast.
Continental shelf : The submerged edge of a continent, sloping gently down to the deep ocean floor. A vast, underwater plateau.
Cryoplanation terrace : Plains and terraces formed in periglacial environments through frost action.
Dissected plateau : A plateau area that has been severely eroded, resulting in sharp relief.
Etchplain : A plain where the bedrock has undergone considerable subsurface weathering, creating a relatively flat, but often uneven, surface.
Floodplain : The flat land adjacent to a water body that is periodically flooded. A land of fertile deposits and periodic inundation.
Fluvial terrace : Elongated terraces flanking river valleys and floodplains, representing former levels of the river.
Inselberg plain : A plain dotted with inselbergs, isolated steep-sided rock hills.
Lacustrine terrace : Step-like landforms marking former shorelines of a lake.
Lava field : A large, mostly flat area covered by lava flows. Also known as a lava plain.
Oceanic basin : The vast, geological depressions that lie beneath the deep sea. The planet’s lowest, darkest plains.
Oceanic plateau : A relatively flat submarine region that rises significantly above the surrounding seabed. Underwater highlands.
Outwash fan : A fan-shaped deposit of sediment transported by meltwater from a glacier.
Outwash plain : A plain formed from glacier sediment transported by meltwater. Also known as a sandur.
Paleoplain: A buried erosion surface, a vast, ancient plain now hidden beneath younger geological deposits.
Pediplain : An extensive plain formed by the coalescence of multiple pediments.
Peneplain : A low-relief plain formed by prolonged erosion. The near-final stage of landscape flattening.
Plain : An expanse of land that is mostly flat.
Planation surface : A large-scale, almost flat land surface created by erosional processes.
Plateau : A highland area, usually of relatively flat terrain. A tableland.
Polje : A type of large plain found in karst regions, often elongated and irregularly shaped.
Raised beach : An ancient shoreline, now exposed above sea level, often forming a flat terrace.
River delta : The silt-deposition landform at the mouth of a river. A fan of nourishment.
Salt marsh : A coastal ecosystem regularly flooded by saltwater. A transitional zone of unique life.
Salt pan : A flat expanse of ground covered with salt and other minerals, often the remnant of a dried-up lake. Also known as a salt flat.
Sandur : A plain formed from glacier sediment transported by meltwater.
Strandflat : A distinctive landform found in high-latitude areas, characterized by a broad, low-lying coastal plain.
Strath : A large, broad valley, often with a gently sloping floor.
Swamp : A forested wetland, characterized by standing water and trees adapted to waterlogged conditions.
Table (landform) : A raised landform with a flat top.
Tidal marsh : A marsh subject to the ebb and flow of tides. A saline, intertidal zone.
Tepui : Table-top mountains or mesas found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, with sheer vertical sides.
Volcanic plateau : A plateau formed by extensive lava flows.
Wave-cut platform : A narrow, flat area created by the erosive action of waves at sea level.

Landforms, Alphabetic

A comprehensive, if somewhat overwhelming, alphabetical listing of landforms. One might find oneself lost in the sheer volume of names, each representing a unique geological story.

Abîme : A geographical term for a vertical shaft within caves. A deep descent.
Abyssal fan : Underwater geological structures associated with large-scale sediment deposition.
Abyssal plain : A flat area on the deep ocean floor.
Ait : A small river island (British English).
Alluvial fan : A fan-shaped deposit of sediment where a river emerges from a narrow valley onto a plain.
Anabranch : Part of a river or stream that diverts from and rejoins the main channel.
Arch : An arch-shaped natural rock formation.
Archipelago : A collection of islands.
Arête : A narrow ridge of rock separating two valleys, often formed by glacial erosion.
Arroyo : A dry watercourse that carries flow only after rainfall.
Atoll : A ring-shaped coral reef, often encircling a lagoon.
Ayre : Shingle beaches found in Orkney and Shetland.
Badlands : A type of heavily eroded terrain characterized by steep slopes and minimal vegetation.
Bajada : A compound alluvial fan, formed by the merging of several smaller fans.
Bar : A submerged ridge of sand or gravel built by currents or waves.
Barchan : A crescent-shaped dune, often found in deserts.
Barrier bar : A natural submerged sandbank that rises near enough to the surface to impede navigation.
Barrier island : A coastal dune landform, parallel to the mainland coast, shaped by waves and tides.
Bay : A recessed, coastal body of water connected to an ocean or lake.
Baymouth bar : A sandbar that seals off an estuary lagoon.
Bayou : A body of slow-moving water in flat, low-lying areas.
Beach : The area of loose particles at the edge of a body of water.
Beach cusps : Shoreline formations made up of various grades of sediment in an arc pattern.
Beach ridge : A wave-deposited ridge running parallel to the shoreline.
Bench : A long, relatively narrow landform bounded by distinctly steeper slopes above and below.
Bight : A shallowly concave bend or curve in a coastline, river, or other geographical feature.
Blowhole : A hole at the top of a sea cave, through which waves can force water or spray.
Blowout (geomorphology) : Depressions in a sand dune ecosystem caused by the removal of sediments by wind.
Bluff : A tall, near-vertical rock face. A steep embankment.
Bornhardt : A large, dome-shaped, steep-sided rock formation, often isolated in a flatter landscape.
Braided channel : A network of river channels that divide and rejoin, creating a complex pattern.
Butte : An isolated hill with steep sides and a small, flat top.
Calanque : A narrow inlet characteristic of the Mediterranean coast.
Caldera : A cauldron-like volcanic feature formed by the emptying of a magma chamber, leading to collapse.
Canyon : A deep chasm between cliffs, carved by rivers or tectonic forces.
Cape : A significant headland jutting out into the sea.
Carolina bay : Elliptical depressions found along the Atlantic seaboard of North America, their origin debated.
Cave : A natural void or opening in the ground, often formed by dissolution of rock or erosional processes.
Cenote : A natural pit or sinkhole that exposes groundwater underneath.
Channel (geography) : A narrow body of water.
Cirque : An amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion.
Corrie : Another term for a cirque.
Cliff : A tall, near-vertical rock face.
Coast : The boundary where land meets the sea or ocean.
Coastal plain : An area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast.
Col : The lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks.
Complex crater : Large impact craters characterized by their uplifted central structures.
Complex volcano : A volcano formed from more than one related volcanic center.
Confluence : The meeting of two or more bodies of flowing water.
Continental shelf : The submerged edge of a continent, sloping gently down to the deep ocean floor.
Coral reef : An intricate structure of rock formed by the skeletal remains of stony corals.
Cove : A small, sheltered bay or coastal inlet.
Cove (mountain) : A small valley nestled between two ridge lines in mountainous regions.
Crater : A depression caused by an impact or geological activity.
Crevasse splay : Sediment deposited on a floodplain when a stream breaks through its levees.
Crevasse : A deep crack or fracture in an ice sheet or glacier.
Cryovolcano : A volcano that erupts gases and volatile materials, rather than molten rock.
Cuesta : A hill or ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a steep slope on the other.
Cuspate foreland : Geographical features found on coastlines and lakeshores, often triangular in shape.
Cut bank : The outside bank of a water channel, which is continually undergoing erosion.
Dale : Another term for a low area between hills.
Defile (geography) : A narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills.
Dell (landform) : A small, secluded hollow, often wooded.
Depression (geology) : A landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area.
Delta, River : The silt-deposition landform at the mouth of a river.
Desert pavement : A type of desert earth surface characterized by a mosaic of closely fitted pebbles and gravel.
Diatreme : A volcanic pipe formed by a gaseous explosion.
Dike (geology) : A sheet of rock formed in a fracture within pre-existing rock bodies.
Dirt cone : A depositional glacial feature composed of ice or snow covered by an insulating layer of dirt.
Dissected plateau : A plateau area that has been severely eroded, resulting in sharp relief.
Doab : The land between two converging or confluent rivers. Also known as an interfluve.
Doline : A geologically-formed topological depression.
Dome (geology) : A geological structure where rock layers are warped upwards into a dome shape.
Drainage basin : The land area where all surface water converges to a common outlet.
Drainage divide : Elevated terrain that separates neighboring drainage basins.
Draw (terrain) : A long area of downward-sloping low ground.
Drumlin : An elongated hill formed by glacial action.
Dry lake : An area that once contained a standing surface water body.
Dune : A hill of loose sand built by aeolian processes or the flow of water.
Dune system : Hills of loose sand, shaped by the wind.
Ejecta blanket : The layer of material thrown out from an impact crater during the impact event.
Endorheic basin : A closed drainage basin that has no outflow to the sea.
Erg (landform) : A broad, sandy desert area shaped by wind.
Escarpment (geography) : A steep slope or cliff separating two relatively level regions. Also known as a scarp.
Esker : A long, winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel, deposited by meltwater streams.
Estuary : A partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water where freshwater rivers meet the sea.
Exhumed river channel : A ridge of sandstone that remains after softer surrounding rock has eroded away, revealing an ancient riverbed.
Faceted spur : A ridge that has been truncated, its original slope altered by faulting or erosion.
Fault scarp : A small vertical offset on the ground surface created by a fault rupture.
Firth : A Scottish term for various coastal inlets and straits.
Fissure vent : A linear volcanic vent through which lava erupts.
Fjard : A glacially formed, broad, and shallow inlet.
Fjord : A long, narrow inlet with steep sides, carved by glacial activity.
Flat (landform) : A relatively level surface of land within a region of greater relief.
Flatiron (geomorphology) : A steep, triangular landform, often a remnant of erosion.
Floodplain : The flat land adjacent to a water body that is periodically flooded.
Foothills : Hills located before a mountain range.
Fluvial island : An exposed landmass within a river.
Fluvial terrace : Elongated terraces flanking river valleys and floodplains, representing former levels of the river.
Foiba : A type of deep natural sinkhole, often found in karst regions.
Geo (landform) : An inlet, gully, or deep cleft in a cliff face.
Geyser : A natural explosive eruption of hot water and steam from the Earth’s crust.
Glacial horn : An angular, sharply pointed mountainous peak formed by glacial erosion.
Glacier cave : A cave formed within the ice of a glacier.
Glacier foreland : The area between the leading edge of a glacier and its furthest extent.
Glacier : A persistent body of ice that moves slowly downhill under its own weight.
Glen : A name for a valley commonly used in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.
Gorge : A deep chasm between cliffs, carved by rivers or tectonic forces.
Graben : A depressed block of the Earth’s crust bordered by parallel normal faults.
Gulch : A deep, V-shaped valley formed by erosion.
Gulf : A large, recessed body of water connected to an ocean or lake.
Gully : A landform created by running water or mass movement, carving sharply into soil.
Guyot : A flat-topped underwater mountain.
Hanging valley : A tributary valley that meets a larger valley above the main valley floor.
Headland : Land extending into the water, often with significant height and a dramatic drop.
Highland : An area of high elevation, such as a mountainous region or elevated mountainous plateau.
Hill : A landform that extends above the surrounding terrain, but is generally smaller than a mountain.
Hillock : A small hill. Also known as a knoll.
Hogback (geology) : A long, narrow ridge with steep slopes on both sides.
Homoclinal ridge : A ridge with a moderate slope on its back and a steeper slope on its front.
Hoodoo (geology) : A tall, thin spire of rock, often capped by a harder layer, sculpted by erosion.
Horst (geology) : A raised fault block bounded by normal faults.
Impact crater : A circular depression formed by the impact of a smaller object onto a solid astronomical body.
Inlet : An indentation of a shoreline.
Interfluve : The land between two converging or confluent rivers.
Inverted relief : Landscape features where elevated areas are formed from resistant rock that was once a depression, and vice versa.
Island : A piece of land completely surrounded by water.
Islet : A very small island.
Isthmus : A narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses.
Kame delta : A glacial meltwater landform, often a mound or ridge of sand and gravel.
Kame : A mound formed on a retreating glacier and deposited on land as the ice melts.
Karst : Topography formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, such as limestone.
Karst fenster : An unroofed portion of a cavern that reveals part of a subterranean river.
Karst valley : A valley formed within a karst landscape, often characterized by sinkholes and underground drainage.
Kettle (landform) : A depression or hole in an outwash plain formed by the melting of buried ice blocks.
Kīpuka : An area of land surrounded by one or more younger lava flows.
Knoll : A small hill.
Lacustrine plain : Flat plains formed by sediment deposition in former lake beds.
Lagoon : A shallow body of water separated from a larger body by a narrow landform.
Lake : A large inland body of relatively still water.
Lava dome : A roughly circular protrusion formed by slowly extruded viscous volcanic lava.
Lava (rock) : Molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption.
Lava lake : Molten lava contained within a volcanic crater or depression.
Lava field : A large, mostly flat area covered by lava flows. Also known as a lava plain.
Lava spine : A vertical growth of solid volcanic lava, often sharp and needle-like.
Lava tube : A natural conduit through which lava flows beneath the solid surface of a lava flow.
Lavaka : A specific type of gully formed by groundwater sapping.
Levee : A ridge or wall built to hold back water, either natural or artificial.
Limestone pavement : A natural karst landform consisting of a flat, exposed surface of limestone, dissected by fissures.
Loess : Sediment of accumulated wind-blown dust.
Lacustrine terraces : Step-like landforms marking former shorelines of a lake.
Maar : A low-relief volcanic crater, often formed by phreatomagmatic eruptions.
Machair : A fertile, low-lying grassy plain, typically found in Scotland and Ireland.
Malpaís (landform) : A rough and barren landscape of relict and largely uneroded lava fields.
Mamelon (volcanology) : A rock formation created by the eruption of relatively thick or stiff lava through a narrow vent.
Marine terrace : An emergent coastal landform, a former sea-bed lifted above sea level.
Marsh : A low-lying area of land that is waterlogged or seasonally flooded.
Massif : The principal mass of a mountain or mountain range.
Meander : One of a series of curves in the channel of a mature stream.
Mesa : An elevated area of land with a flat top and steep sides, significantly wider than it is tall.
Mid-ocean ridge : An underwater mountain system formed by the spreading of tectonic plates.
Mogote : A steep-sided residual hill of limestone, marble, or dolomite on a flat plain.
Monadnock : An isolated, steep-sided rock hill rising abruptly from a surrounding plain.
Moraine : A glacially formed accumulation of debris.
Moulin (geomorphology) : A shaft within a glacier or ice sheet through which meltwater enters from the surface.
Mountain : A large natural elevation of the Earth’s surface, significantly higher than a hill.
Mountain pass : A route through a mountain range or over a ridge.
Mountain range : A geographic area containing several geologically related mountains.
Mud volcano : A landform created by the eruption of mud, slurries, water, and gases.
Mushroom rock : A rock formation eroded into a mushroom shape, typically by wind abrasion.
Natural arch : An arch-shaped natural rock formation, carved by erosion.
Nunatak : An exposed area of rock or ice that protrudes above an ice field or glacier.
Oasis : A fertile area in a desert environment, often sustained by a lake or groundwater source.
Oceanic basin : The vast, geological depressions that lie beneath the deep sea.
Oceanic plateau : A relatively flat submarine region that rises significantly above the surrounding seabed.
Oceanic ridge : An underwater mountain system formed by plate tectonic spreading.
Oceanic trench : Long, narrow, and incredibly deep depressions on the ocean floor.
Outwash fan : A fan-shaped deposit of sediment transported by meltwater from a glacier.
Outwash plain : A plain formed from glacier sediment transported by meltwater. Also known as a sandur.
Oxbow lake : A U-shaped lake or pool left behind when a meander is cut off from a river.
Paleoplain: A buried erosion surface, a vast, ancient plain now hidden beneath younger geological deposits.
Panhole (landform) : A depression or basin eroded into flat or gently sloping cohesive rock. Also known as a weathering pit.
Pediment (geology) : A very gently sloping inclined bedrock surface, often found at the base of mountains.
Pediplain : An extensive plain formed by the coalescence of multiple pediments.
Peneplain : A low-relief plain formed by prolonged erosion.
Peninsula : A land feature almost entirely surrounded by water, but connected to the mainland.
Pingo : A mound of earth-covered ice, a striking feature of periglacial landscapes.
Pit crater : A depression formed by the collapse of the surface into an underlying void.
Plain : An expanse of land that is mostly flat.
Planation surface : A large-scale, almost flat land surface created by erosional processes.
Playa lake : An area that once contained a standing surface water body, common in arid regions.
Plunge pool : A depression at the base of a waterfall, carved by the force of the falling water.
Point bar : A depositional landform found on the inside bend of a stream or river.
Polje : A type of large plain found in karst regions, often elongated and irregularly shaped.
Pond : A relatively small body of standing water.
Pothole (landform) : A natural bowl-shaped hollow carved into a streambed by the swirling action of water and sediment.
Potrero (landform) : A long mesa that slopes upward at one end.
Proglacial lake : A lake formed by the action of ice, often at the margin of a melting glacier.
Pseudocrater (volcanology) : A volcanic landform that resembles a cone but is not directly connected to a magma source.
Pull-apart basin : A type of basin in geology formed along strike-slip faults where the fault bends.
Quarry : A place where geological material has been excavated.
Raised beach : An emergent coastal landform, a former sea-bed lifted above sea level.
Rapids : A section of a river or stream where the water flows with increased velocity and turbulence.
Ravine : A small valley, often deeply incised by stream erosion.
Ria : A coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of a river valley.
Ridge : A long, narrow, elevated landform.
Riffle : A shallow landform in a flowing channel, characterized by faster-flowing water.
Rift valley : A linear lowland created by a tectonic rift or fault.
River : A natural flowing freshwater stream.
River delta : The silt-deposition landform at the mouth of a river.
River island : An exposed landmass within a river.
Rôche moutonnée : A rock formation shaped by the passage of a glacier.
Rogen moraine : Ridges deposited by a glacier or ice sheet transverse to the direction of ice flow.
Rock formations : A general category for naturally occurring geological structures.
Rock shelter : A shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff.
Rock-cut basin : A cylindrical depression carved into stream or river beds.
Saddle (landform) : A landform connecting two higher points, resembling a saddle.
Salt marsh : A coastal ecosystem regularly flooded by saltwater.
Salt pan (geology) : A flat expanse of ground covered with salt and other minerals. Also known as a salt flat.
Sand boil : A cone formed by the ejection of sand onto a surface from a central point. Also known as a sand volcano.
Sandhill : A type of ecological community or xeric wildfire-maintained ecosystem, often a dune.
Sandur : A plain formed from glacier sediment transported by meltwater.
Scowle : A type of landscape feature, often associated with mining.
Scree : Broken rock fragments accumulated at the base of a cliff.
Sea cave : A cave formed by the relentless action of wave erosion along coastlines.
Seamount : A mountain rising from the ocean floor that does not reach the water’s surface.
Shield volcano : A low-profile volcano usually formed almost entirely of fluid lava flows.
Shoal : A submerged ridge of sand or gravel built by currents or waves.
Shore : The area where land meets the sea or ocean.
Shut-in (river) : A type of rock formation found in streams, often creating constricted passages.
Side valley : A valley that is a tributary to a larger river valley.
Sinkhole : A geologically-formed topological depression, often formed by the dissolution of soluble rock.
Sound (geography) : A long, wide body of water connecting two larger bodies of water.
Spit (landform) : A coastal bar or beach deposited by longshore drift.
Spring (hydrosphere) : A point at which groundwater emerges from an aquifer to the surface.
Stack (geology) : A steep column of rock standing in the sea, often a remnant of coastal erosion.
Strait : A narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water.
Strandflat : A distinctive landform found in high-latitude areas, characterized by a broad, low-lying coastal plain.
Strath : A large, broad valley, often with a gently sloping floor.
Stratovolcano : A type of conical volcano composed of layers of lava and tephra.
Stream pool : A deep and slow-moving stretch of a watercourse.
Stream : A body of surface water flowing down a channel.
Strike ridge : Another term for a homoclinal ridge.
Structural bench : A long, relatively narrow landform bounded by distinctly steeper slopes above and below.
Structural terrace : A step-like landform created by differential erosion.
Subglacial mound : A volcano formed when lava erupts beneath a thick glacier or ice sheet.
Submarine canyon : Steep-sided valleys carved into the seabed of the continental slope.
Submarine volcano : Underwater vents or fissures from which magma erupts.
Summit : The highest point on a surface, typically a mountain.
Supervolcano : A volcano capable of producing eruptions with a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 8.
Surge channel : A specific type of coastal landform, often associated with intense wave action.
Swamp : A forested wetland, characterized by standing water and trees adapted to waterlogged conditions.
Tepui : Table-top mountains or mesas found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, with sheer vertical sides.
Terrace (geology) : A step-like landform, often created by erosion or deposition.
Terracette : Small, natural step-arranged soil ridges on hillsides.
Tessellated pavement : A remarkably flat rock surface fractured into regular shapes.
Thalweg : The line of lowest elevation in a watercourse or valley.
Tidal marsh : A marsh subject to the ebb and flow of tides.
Tide pool : Rocky pools left behind on the seashore at low tide.
Tombolo : A deposition landform connecting an island to the mainland with a sand or gravel isthmus.
Tor (rock formation) : A large, free-standing rock outcrop found on a gentle hill summit.
Tower karst : Tall, steep structures of soluble rock, a dramatic form of karst topography.
Towhead : Another term for an exposed landmass within a river.
Trim line : A clear line on the side of a valley marking the highest extent of a past glacier.
Truncated spur : A ridge that has been cut short as it descends towards a valley floor or coastline.
Tunnel valley : A glacial-formed geographic feature, a long, steep-sided valley carved by subglacial meltwater.
Turlough (lake) : A type of seasonal or periodic lake found in limestone areas.
Tuya : A flat-topped, steep-sided volcano formed when lava erupts through a thick glacier or ice sheet.
U-shaped valley : Valleys formed by the scouring action of glaciers, characterized by steep sides and a broad, flat floor.
Uvala (landform) : A toponym for a closed karst depression, larger than a doline.
Vale (river valley) : Another term for a low area between hills, often with a river running through it.
Valley : A low area between hills or mountains, often containing a river or stream.
Valley shoulder : The upper part of a valley slope, often marking the transition to flatter terrain.
Ventifact : A rock that has been eroded by wind-driven sand or ice crystals.
Volcanic arc : A chain of volcanoes formed above a subducting tectonic plate.
Volcanic cone : A cone-shaped landform built up by ejected volcanic material.
Volcanic crater : A roughly circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity.
Volcanic crater lake : A lake that has formed within the depression of a volcanic crater.
Volcanic dam : A natural dam formed by volcanic activity.
Volcanic field : An area of Earth’s crust prone to localized volcanic activity.
Volcanic group : A collection of related volcanoes or volcanic landforms in a specific area.
Volcanic island : An island formed by volcanic activity, rising from the sea floor.
Volcanic plateau : A plateau formed by extensive lava flows.
Volcanic plug : Volcanic material that has hardened within a vent, effectively sealing it.
Volcano : A rupture in a planet’s crust where material escapes from below.
Wadi : A dry riverbed or valley in an arid region that floods after rainfall.
Waterfall : A point where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops.
Watershed : The land area where all surface water converges to a common outlet.
Wave-cut platform : A narrow, flat area created by the erosive action of waves at sea level.
Wetland : An ecosystem that is flooded or saturated with water.
Yardang : A streamlined aeolian landform, shaped by wind erosion.