1. The study of the structure and composition of the Earth, especially the nature and arrangement of rocks and minerals.
Usage: Archaic or specialized term; largely superseded by 'geology' in modern usage.; More common in 19th-century scientific literature.

Examples

• Early geognosy focused on classifying rocks and understanding Earth's internal structure.
• The term geognosy was popular among 19th-century naturalists before geology became the standard name.
• Geognosy contributed foundational knowledge to modern geological science.