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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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Surgeons woke Tilly for about 30 minutes so they could map those parts of her brain in real time and protect vital tissue while removing the malformation.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The company’s AI Control Tower allows customers to map and govern their AI agents across different cloud and IT systems.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Officials say some 1,800 localities have already vanished since the turn of the century -- ghost villages that have become nothing more than decaying buildings and a name on a map.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The new study is the first to map direct contacts between influenza proteins and human proteins on a large scale inside intact infected cells.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
The bracket that held the map was there, but somebody had swiped the map itself, a good cloth-backed one with a lot of uses.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Of the 224 throughout the state, 140 populate central Ohio, dotting the city center through to the edges of suburban cities like New Albany and Dublin, according to Data Center Map.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
They were due to return in 2020, before Covid forced them to cancel the massive Map of the Soul tour.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
To help visualize the results, the researchers collaborated with award-winning data visualization designer Moritz Stefaner to create the Mycorrhizal Infrastructure Map.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 15, 2026
Data Center Map, a nongovernmental website that tracks data centers across the world, lists 289 facilities in California, with more than 4,000 nationwide.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026
“But about every fifth turn, I write something down to help me later. Mostly just related to stuff from yesterday— what’s different today. Then I can use yesterday’s Map to make today’s. Easy-peasy, dude.”
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
“As is the case with any large, strategic document, submitting the MAP is one thing, but publishing it is another thing entirely,” the official said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026
He obtained 84 votes compared to the runner up, Turkish Mustafa Serkan Sabanca, who got 60 votes, Moroccan state news agency MAP said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 27, 2025
Another doctor placed at al-Aqsa with MAP, James Smith, told the BBC that he had heard gunfire on several days.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2024
But because the phosphorus in MAP and DAP is highly water soluble, much of the nutrient is lost during the ensuing winter and early spring months.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2023
“Yes, the MAP IN CHARLESTON,” Frank said loudly, giving Percy a wide-eyed look to make sure he hadn’t missed the information.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
At Carnegie Mellon, she has designed and developed interactive maps, data visualizations and other visual stories.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
This allowed them to build a phylogenetic tree, a model that maps relationships between species and estimates when different branches separated over time.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
More precise maps could also help neurosurgeons navigate one of the brain's most delicate regions with greater confidence.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
It maps on pretty cleanly because a lot of the cases that people really like involve the court enforcing federal legislation.
From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026
Papi was good with maps, and he discovered this shortcut.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
Together they have mapped about 15 square kilometres of critical habitat.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Oceanographers often point out that scientists have mapped the surfaces of the Moon and Mars in greater detail than much of Earth's deep ocean.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
As Beaumont says, it is simply the next chapter, although she has not quite mapped out how that will look yet, other than knowing she will continue playing domestically.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Before the weeklong marathon, he and his team mapped out a schedule so the stream would never go dark while orders were packed, labeled and shipped.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
East Berliners responded creatively—some took a newfound interest in scuba diving and mapped out underwater routes to freedom.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Tolo is conducting—and broadcasting on social media—a home experiment aimed at mapping her biological data over the course of her menstrual cycle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
But we sit around and talk and make notes, and Jamie goes off and does the nitty gritty of mapping it out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Some consultants bill themselves as senior downsizing experts and can provide guidance in mapping out a move.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
Unlike EVs, robotaxis generate a great deal of mapping, camera and location data.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
I bet she’s mapping and charting out every last detail, searching the base of the bluff for hidden paths.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
