map
1 Americannoun
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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.
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a maplike delineation, representation, or reflection of anything.
The old man's face is a map of time.
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Mathematics. function.
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Slang. the face.
Wipe that smile off that ugly map of yours.
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Genetics. genetic map.
verb (used with object)
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to represent or delineate on or as if on a map.
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to sketch or plan (often followed byout ).
to map out a new career.
idioms
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off the map, out of existence; into oblivion.
Whole cities were wiped off the map.
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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.
noun
abbreviation
noun
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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
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a diagrammatic representation of the distribution of stars or of the surface of a celestial body
a lunar map
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a maplike drawing of anything
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maths another name for function
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a slang word for face
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no longer important or in existence (esp in the phrase wipe off the map )
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to make (a town, company, etc) well-known
verb
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to make a map of
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maths to represent or transform (a function, figure, set, etc) See also map out
the results were mapped onto a graph
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(intr) to fit in with or correspond to
noun
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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.
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See also projection
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See genetic map
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
- mapless adjective
- mappable adjective
- mapper noun
- remap verb (used with object)
- self-mapped adjective
- unmappable adjective
- unmapped adjective
- well-mapped adjective
Etymology
Origin of map
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”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To address this gap, the researchers used a computer based mapping method known as Maximum Entropy.
From Science Daily
The research team set out to systematically map these ridges across the lunar maria and investigate their role in recent tectonic activity.
From Science Daily
That means mapping the many possible routes electricity takes through the sky, which is extremely challenging.
From Science Daily
Not on any maps, the place is known only as Yolakot, meaning riverside, but hundreds of women and children now live under the shade of its trees, waiting for help.
From Barron's
She stared at the map on the wall and the map on the screen and the map on the wall again.
From Literature
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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.