Geologer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A scientist who studies the physical structure, history and composition of the Earth, particularly its rocks and landforms
2. Someone trained in the science of geology who examines the materials, formation and changes of the planet's crust
3. A specialist in earth sciences who investigates rock layers, minerals and the forces that have shaped the land over time

Etymology: "Geologer" is a compound of "geo-", from Greek "gē" meaning "earth", and "-loger", a variant of "-logist" or "-logue" in the sense of a person who studies or speaks about a subject. Put together, the word names someone who studies the earth. The word sits alongside the more familiar "geologist" and the older "geologian," which were all formed from the same Greek elements. "Geologer" is a less common spelling of the same idea, and its form follows the pattern of other English words in "-loger," in which the ending marks a person who works in a particular field. The word is recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary, which treats it as an English formation rather than a borrowing from another language.