placenames
What maps identify
Placenames are proper nouns identifying geographic locations—cities, countries, rivers, mountains, streets.
They often preserve historical or linguistic fossils: Los Angeles retains Spanish, Mississippi comes from Ojibwe.
Placenames function as adjectives too: California wine, Texas barbecue.
Also spelled as two words: place names.
Spatial representation of terrain
- coordinatesLocation-specifying number pairs
- GPSSatellite-based location technology
- compassDevice showing cardinal directions
- wayfindingNavigating through physical spaces
route · directions · destination · itinerary · cartography · atlas · gazetteer · bearing
One's native land
- birthplaceLocation of one's birth
- ancestryFamily line of descent
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
- nationalityLegal belonging to country
citizenship · hometown · province · territory · region · diaspora · exile · migration
Decayed structural remains
- archaeologyStudy of physical remnants
- monumentsStructures commemorating notable achievements
- civilizationAdvanced organized human society
- empireDomain under unified control
kingdom · dynasty · colonialism · antiquity · relics · battlefields · conquest · founding
Physical feature mapping
- terrainLand's physical features
- continentLarge connected landmass
- islandWater-bounded land mass
- peninsulaLand almost encircled by water
archipelago · mountain · valley · plateau · river · lake · ocean · sea
map
Spatial representation of terrain
- coordinatesLocation-specifying number pairs
- GPSSatellite-based location technology
- compassDevice showing cardinal directions
wayfinding · route · directions · destination · itinerary · cartography · atlas · gazetteer · bearing · signpost
homeland
One's native land
- birthplaceLocation of one's birth
- ancestryFamily line of descent
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
nationality · citizenship · hometown · province · territory · region · diaspora · exile · migration · belonging
ruins
Decayed structural remains
- archaeologyStudy of physical remnants
- monumentsStructures commemorating notable achievements
- civilizationAdvanced organized human society
empire · kingdom · dynasty · colonialism · antiquity · relics · battlefields · conquest · founding · settlement
topography
Physical feature mapping
peninsula · archipelago · mountain · valley · plateau · river · lake · ocean · sea · bay
cuisine
Characteristic cooking style
- festivalsOrganized communal celebrations
- traditionsLong-established customs passed down
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
language · dialect · music · dance · folklore · mythology · rituals · ceremonies · heritage · symbols
exotic
Strikingly unusual, foreign-seeming
picturesque · quaint · secluded · untouched · mystical · legendary · fabled · storied · idyllic · scenic
- Gazetteer Termstoponyms, atlases, coastal features, landmarks, Bay of Fundy
- namessurnames, first name, last name, given name, nicknames
placenamespersonal names
Identifying labels for individuals
given names · surnames · brand names · common nouns · abstract nouns
placenamescoordinates
Location-specifying number pairs
GPS coordinates · latitude and longitude · map coordinates · postal codes · IP addresses