a representation, usually on a flat surface, as of the features of an area of the earth or a portion of the heavens, showing them in their respective forms, sizes, and relationships according to some convention of representation.
a map of Canada.
a maplike delineation, representation, or reflection of anything.
The old man's face is a map of time.
Mathematics. function.
Slang. the face.
Wipe that smile off that ugly map of yours.
Genetics. genetic map.
to represent or delineate on or as if on a map.
to sketch or plan (often followed byout ).
to map out a new career.
off the map, out of existence; into oblivion.
Whole cities were wiped off the map.
put on the map, to bring into the public eye; make known, famous, or prominent.
The discovery of gold put our town on the map.
a diagrammatic representation of the earth's surface or part of it, showing the geographical distributions, positions, etc, of natural or artificial features such as roads, towns, relief, rainfall, etc
a diagrammatic representation of the distribution of stars or of the surface of a celestial body
a lunar map
a maplike drawing of anything
maths another name for function
a slang word for face
no longer important or in existence (esp in the phrase wipe off the map )
to make (a town, company, etc) well-known
to make a map of
maths to represent or transform (a function, figure, set, etc) See also map out
the results were mapped onto a graph
(intr) to fit in with or correspond to
A representation of a region of three-dimensional space, such as of the Earth or a part of the universe, usually on a two-dimensional plane surface.
See also projection
See genetic map
Map, chart, graph refer to representations of surfaces, areas, or facts. Map most commonly refers to a representation of the surface of the earth or a section of it, or an area of the sky: a map of England. A chart may be an outline map with symbols conveying information superimposed on it, a map designed especially for navigators on water or in the air, a diagram, or a table giving information in an orderly form: a chart of the shoals off a coast. A graph may be a diagram representing a set of interrelated facts by means of dots or lines on a coordinate background; or it may use small figures (people, animals, machines, etc.) appropriate to the facts being represented, each figure standing for a specific number in statistics being given: a graph of the rise in population from 1900 to 1980.
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English mappe-(mounde), from Medieval Latin mappa mundī “map of the world,” special use of Latin mappa “napkin,” said to be from Punic; perhaps compare Mishnaic Hebrew mapāh “tablecloth”
A map is a diagram of a place, showing roads and highways and natural features like lakes, rivers, and mountains. When your dad stops the car, sighs, and pulls out his map, you are probably lost. As more and more people rely on electronic devices to get directions, the art of reading a map is becoming lost. A map can illustrate roads, stars in the galaxy, or even the genes in a human chromosome. When you map something, you sketch it or plan the route or steps you will take, like mapping out your future. A Latin root of map is mappa, or "napkin," as in something you'd sketch a map on.
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Rows of screens display Ukraine's Sky Map as it tracks Russian drones and jets.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
Virginia and Texas lead the country in data-center construction, with 579 and 411 server farms, respectively, according to the industry website Data Center Map.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
Meanwhile the rare Marauder's Map joins other "Harry Potter" movie props in the auction and is expected to fetch up to $80,000.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
Map out different scenarios during both low- and high-income sales months and see whether you’d need to cut back on travel or grocery spending.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026
On Saturday morning, Harry packed his Invisibility Cloak in his bag, slipped the Marauders Map into his pocket, and went down to breakfast with everyone else.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
