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areology (air-ee-OL-uh-jee) - n., the observation and study of the planet Mars.
Rarely used by actual areologists, who prefer geology even though it contains Earth in its etymology. By the definition, this could include any aspect of the planet, but in practice it encompasses just geology in an extended sense (including anything that shapes it, such as climate). Coined in 1881 from Greek roots Ares, Mars (as opposed to the name of the god of war) + -logía, taken in English to mean study of, original being an abstract noun form of lógos, account/narrative.
---L.
Rarely used by actual areologists, who prefer geology even though it contains Earth in its etymology. By the definition, this could include any aspect of the planet, but in practice it encompasses just geology in an extended sense (including anything that shapes it, such as climate). Coined in 1881 from Greek roots Ares, Mars (as opposed to the name of the god of war) + -logía, taken in English to mean study of, original being an abstract noun form of lógos, account/narrative.
---L.
