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.
I liked asking people what brought them in, hearing about their celebrations and making small talk while consulting my restaurant map and section list.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
That means a lot of engineering is going into the small and nimble robot, including acoustic sensing that works like echolocation and a pulsing laser light to map the environment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
To find it you need a map, and possibly a helmet.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
"It is enabling us to create a tourism destination and put us on the world map," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
“You two are impossible,” Sam muttered as he jerked his head at the map.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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
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
While Millard rambled on about the history of the Map, I traced with my finger a vast and trackless desert in Asia.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
NIC MAP projected in August that the U.S. could face a shortage of over 575,000 senior-housing units by 2030, as the population age 80 and older grows by about one-third.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
This year occupancy continued to rebound, climbing to 89.9% in the first quarter, according to NIC MAP, an industry data source.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 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
“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
Establishing responsibility was also challenging because it required authorities to share maps pinpointing fire hotspots, with overlapping land claims further complicating matters.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Mackey estimates that the 1.75GW backlog maps to about $1.9 billion in prospective revenue and $366 million in gross margins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
By combining lipid information with existing genetic and cellular maps, researchers can gain a more complete understanding of how the brain is organized and how its chemistry changes over time.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
Apple Maps does not show the price of fuel, although some third-party apps can link to its maps on iPhones.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Cat thought of the rainbow of colored pencils, the drawings of ships with their detail and power, the maps of imaginary places.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
At the EU level, Kallas said the European Defence Agency had mapped all the "critical capabilities" that Europe was missing and that Europe needed to fill these gaps "as soon as possible".
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The Outlaw Ocean Project mapped roughly the entire global fishmeal industry, including more than 1,400 fishmeal factories across 64 countries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Gym rats can check their body composition of fat and muscle, people with heart issues can get their heartbeat captured, and mole owners can get their moles mapped to 0.1 mm.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
They formed an unlikely alliance with Abe Connally, a retired computer programmer and Democrat who had already mapped 25 Flock cameras in the county.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
I wondered what had mapped her face like that.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
The transit mapping measurements also supported other previously identified characteristics of WASP-17b.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
The new "transmission strings" technique, also called transit mapping, examines the opposite part of the planet's orbit.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
The calendar and mapping platform is scheduled to launch in January 2028.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
“Optogenetics provides opportunities for mapping the brain in a way that we could once only dream of,” said Per Svenningsson, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
It required mapping strategy and listening to your neighbors and building trust in communities where trust was often lacking.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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