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Glite Dictionary
choropleth map

choropleth map

8.6
A map that uses colors or patterns to show how numbers like population change across areas
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔːrəˌplɛθ mæp/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mapa coroplético
  • A choropleth map can effectively illustrate varying levels of education attainment across different states.

Examples

  • In her presentation, she showed a choropleth map to highlight income inequality in urban areas.

  • The researcher used a choropleth map to display the population density across different regions of the country.

  • These data were merged with a digitized boundary file of China in Atlas-Graphics mapping software to make basic choropleth maps.

    Academic text (1991)

How Distorted

cartogram
  • Specialized
1 7.3
choropleth map
  • Specialized
8.6
map
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

choropleth map singular
choropleth maps plural

Morphology

choropleth + map

The key element 'choropleth' is a specialised, Greek-derived technical word (no common dictionary definition provided) and is not transparently analyzable by a B1 learner; 'map' alone does not convey the specific sense of shading/patterning by variable. Because the crucial meaning depends on an opaque technical modifier rather than a predictable compositional pattern, the overall phrase cannot be inferred without prior exposure or explanation.

Etymology

Choropleth map comes from two old Greek words: choros meaning 'area' and plethos meaning 'many'. The name gives a clear image: each whole 'area' on the map is shaded to show how 'many' or how much of something is there. So, it means a map that colours regions to show values.