Meanings
plural choropleth maps
- A thematic map in which the distribution of some property is shown using different colours.
The scale and unit of analysis for choropleth maps depends upon the area to be mapped.
1999, Jeffery T. Walker, Statistics in Criminal Justice: Analysis and Interpretation, page 662 more examples
The choropleth map, which shows distributions by area, is one of the most frequently used maps in geography.
2004, Gerald R. Pitzl, Encyclopedia of Human Geography, page 29As the Mercator is to Web projections, choropleth maps are to thematic cartography (i.e., they are overused).
2013, Ian Muehlenhaus, Web Cartography: Map Design for Interactive and Mobile Devices, page 147Synonyms: choropleth, chloropleth, chloropleth map
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA thematic map in which the distribution of some property is shown using different colours.
Origin
- Ancient Greekχώρα“location”
- Englishchoropleth map
From Ancient Greek χώρα (khṓra, “location”) + πλῆθος (plêthos, “a great number”) + English map. First proposed in 1938 by American geographer John Kirtland Wright to mean "quantity in area," although maps of the type have been used since the early 19th century.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
choropleth map. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/choropleth%20map
“choropleth map.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/choropleth%20map. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “choropleth map,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/choropleth%20map.
Source: choropleth map on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.