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.
A Polish billionaire is paying for a giant statue of the Virgin Mary that residents of the village of Konotopie hope will put them on the pilgrimage map.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The official French wildfire map gives Gironde and Pyrénées-Orientales its highest fire alert level.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
They popped up a swarm of short-lift attackers to map out Hugging Face’s network and took an astounding 17,000 actions during the hack, far more than a human would.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
What if you could visit a place that does not exist on any map?
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Rowan read it aloud, the map shaking in his trembling hands.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
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
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
Appeared in the June 3, 2026, print edition as 'Justices Rule In Favor of Alabama Map'.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
The US is using Sky Map to protects one of its bases in the Middle East.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
Minho headed straight for the Map Room as they came through the West Door.
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
Struvite also contains nitrogen, but struvite is less water soluble than MAP.
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
Users create maps, fictional diary entries, survival guides, found-footage videos and first-person explorations that collectively expand the world.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
US military maps also confirm American operations in southern Iran – including the Minab area - at the time.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Unlike deaths with associated rituals, road maps, and standards, those that are disenfranchised are complex, underacknowledged, and often isolating.
From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2026
States customarily redraw their maps every 10 years to reflect population changes in a process called redistricting.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
She carefully ran her fingers above the old blueprints, the way her mother always did when they prepared to travel via the Red Book maps.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Together they have mapped about 15 square kilometres of critical habitat.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
I downloaded an app that mapped out my route and where I should charge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 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
But revisiting the lyrics of “Just a Girl,” she realized it mapped neatly onto Elle’s arc.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
He conquered Egypt in 331 BCE and mapped out the plan for a new capital city that would bear his name.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
Plus, the future of watching sports, how AI might actually help solve the next labor crisis and the woman mapping her biological data.
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
Built from high-resolution images of thin slices of post-mortem brain tissue, the approach makes detailed, cell-level mapping affordable.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Some consultants bill themselves as senior downsizing experts and can provide guidance in mapping out a move.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
“I never thought of mapping countries, our planet.”
From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
