album

American  

[al-buhm] / ˈæl bəm /

noun

• albums
  plural

1. 1. a bound or loose-leaf book consisting of blank pages, pockets, envelopes, etc., for storing or displaying photographs, stamps, or the like, or for collecting autographs.

   2. a digital collection of photographs, stored on a computer or mobile device for viewing, displaying, or sharing.

2. 1. a record or set of records containing several musical selections, a complete play or opera, etc..

      Her album of folk songs will be out next month.

   2. the package or container for such a record or records.

      The album has a pocket for each record.

   3. a collection of audio recordings released together as a collected work.

      The digital release of their debut album sold more copies than expected.

3. a printed book containing an anthology of writings, reproductions of photographs or artwork, musical compositions, etc.

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album British  

/ ˈælbəm /

noun

1. a book or binder consisting of blank pages, pockets, or envelopes for keeping photographs, stamps, autographs, drawings, poems, etc

2. one or more CDs, cassettes, or long-playing records released as a single item

3. a booklike holder containing sleeves for gramophone records

4. an anthology, usually large and illustrated

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• albums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of album

First recorded in 1610–20; 1955–60 album for def. 2; from Latin: neuter singular of albus “white,” i.e., a blank (tablet) painted white for writing on

Explanation

An album is a book of photographs, mementos, or a collection of some other kind — like music. As digital forms of photographs and music become more popular, albums are becoming a thing of the past. A photo album is full of pictures, and a stamp collector's album contains stamps from different countries. Another kind of album is a collection of songs, either on a record or a CD. In Latin, album means "white," and in ancient times it referred to a blank tablet. 16th century German academics kept what they called an album amicorum, or a collection of colleagues' signatures, and from there album came to mean "souvenir book."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

album albums

Her album from that year, “My Tennessee Mountain Home,” was a reintroduction to her audience, an autobiographical cycle of songs telling the story of a singer leaving home to make it on Music Row.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

This is a severely underrated album because the songs that aren’t mentioned are just as good.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

Her breakthrough came with the album Hello, I'm Dolly.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

The LP was produced in Toronto by Bob Erzin, who’d helmed their lauded “Smile” album 26 years back, and he proves ideally situated to emphasize the band’s central, continuing strengths.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

Everything he owned was in that bag—a change of clothes, the family photo album, his Matchbox cars, an old honey tin, and his camera, the old Minolta XE.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

A lot has happened since then, with millions of albums sold, world tours and, yes, they did lead the next generation with their harder-edged sound paving the way for acts like Ateez and Stray Kids.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

The new Whigs record is a strong collection of material that stands solidly amongst the existing catalog of v2 Whigs albums, with big rockers, piano ballads, and tape loops neatly nestled against guitar feedback.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

She headlined festivals and became a global star with albums such as Here You Come Again.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

With 113 jazz and classical albums, he’s sold more than seven million copies worldwide.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

We ate outside on the patio, listening to the Killers and Kings of Leon, albums we used to play when we first got together.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Related Words

• collection
• scrapbook