Short for topographic map, a detailed map that shows the hills, valleys, and elevation of land using contour lines.
Informal abbreviation of 'topographic,' which comes from Greek 'topos' meaning 'place' and 'graphia' meaning 'description.' These maps became standardized in the 19th century.
Hikers and climbers swear by topo maps because the squiggly contour lines reveal exactly how steep a mountain is—those tightly packed lines mean a brutal climb, while widely spaced lines mean a gentle slope.
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