map

plural maps

1. A visual representation of an area, whether real or imaginary, showing the relative positions of places and other features.

   a map of Australia, a map of Lilliput

   3 more examples

   He bought a map for the tour of Edinburgh Castle.

   Drawings and pictures are more than mere ornaments in scientific discourse. Blackboard sketches, geological maps, diagrams of molecular structure, astronomical photographs, MRI images, the many varieties of statistical charts and graphs: These pictorial devices are indispensable tools for presenting evidence, for explaining a theory, for telling a story.

   2012 March–April, Brian Hayes, “Pixels or Perish”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 19 Feb 2013, page 106

   Anna, it is a map.

   2016, “Learning English (public domain)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), via VOA, archived from the original on 25 Sep 2017

   Synonyms: plan, chart

2. A graphical or logical representation of any structure or system, showing the positions of or relationships between its components.

   a map of the Earth's magnetic field

   2 more examples

   The 256 bytes of internal RAM are subdivided as shown in the memory map above.

   2005, Craig Steiner, The 8051/8052 Microcontroller, page 9

   Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work.

   2012 March-April, Terrence J. Sejnowski, “Well-connected Brains”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 27 Apr 2017, page 171

   Synonyms: plan, chart

3. mathematicsA function, especially a function satisfying a certain property (e.g. continuity, linearity, etc.; see Usage notes).

   Let f be a map from ℝ to ℝ

   Synonyms: mapping, function

4. biologyAny of various nymphalid butterflies of the genera Araschnia (especially, Araschnia levana) and Cyrestis, having map-like markings on the wings.
5. UKdatedThe face.

   And as the eye rested on him, he too filled me with pity and terror, for his map was flushed and his manner distraught. He looked like Jack Dempsey at the conclusion of his first conference with Gene Tunney, the occasion, if you remember, when he forgot to duck.

   1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter X

6. board gamesvideo gamesAn imaginary or fictional area, often predefined and confined, where a game or a session thereof takes place.

   I don't want to play this map again!

   3 more examples

   Jack loves playing on this Fortnite map.

   On top of that, each of Evolve's maps are dim, open arenas with little to interact with besides the occasional hostile organism.

   2015 February 14, Steven Strom, “Evolve Review: Middle of the food chain”, in Ars Technica

   Maps are littered with little challenges in my pursuit of explorable shortcuts, treasure chests of gear, and statues that grant me more health.

   2025 February 28, Lauren Morton, “Review: Dragon Age: The Veilguard”, in PC Gamer (US), number 392, page 54; published online 28 October 2024

   Synonyms: level, stage

7. computingSynonym of associative array.

   Synonyms: associative array

present singular third person maps · participle present mapping · participle past mapped · past mapped

1. transitiveTo represent by means of a map.

   This large atlas maps the whole world in very great detail.

   1 more example

   Figure 3 maps the pressure distribution within the human circulatory system.

2. transitiveTo create a map of; to examine or survey in order to gather information for a map.

   The team is mapping the route of the new railway line.

   3 more examples

   The space probe is mapping the Earth's gravitational field.

   To provide the surveys required for modernisation schemes on British Railways, extensive sections of line in the Home Counties are to be mapped from the air. […] The track will be photographed from 1,500 ft. to provide maps of a scale of about 104 ft. to 1 in.

   1956 August, “Mapping Railways from the Air”, in Railway Magazine, page 499

   This equipment is designed to map the neurons of the human brain in three dimensions.

3. intransitiveTo have a direct relationship; to correspond.

   This doesn't map to my understanding of how things should work.

   1 more example

   Significantly, the aural-oral data does not map closely to the visual linguistic landscape at NIE.

   2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 8

4. transitiveTo create a direct relationship to; to create a correspondence with.

   Map "volume down" to the F2 key.

5. transitivemathematicsTo act as a function on something, taking it to something else.

   Equivalently: f:A→B,a↦f(a)

   1 more example

   f maps A to B, mapping every a∈A to f(a)∈B.

6. transitivecomputingTo assign a drive letter to a shared folder.

plural MAPs

1. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableaeronauticsInitialism of missed approach point.
2. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablelifestyleInitialism of modified American plan, a hotel rate that included accommodation, breakfast and dinner, but not lunch.

   Synonyms: half board

3. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebiologyInitialism of microtubule-associated protein.
4. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of modified atmosphere packaging.
5. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of mean arterial pressure.
6. abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of methyl-acetylene propadiene.
7. abbreviationattributivecountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of multiple aim point.
8. abbreviationcountableeuphemisticinitialismuncountableInitialism of minor-attracted person.
9. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of Mexican-American Princess; overly materialistic and selfish young Mexican-American woman.

   My Puerto Rican roommate, who had survived the New York school system, would sarcastically call me a “MAP” or Mexican-American princess because of my boarding school experience.

   1994, Latino Law Review, volumes 1-3, page 404

   2 more examples

   I guess in many ways I was becoming a Jewish American Princess, also known as a JAP. I thought Jewish men were supposed to totally take care of you. This was not the case with Bob. Oh, I forgot, I’m not Jewish. I was a BAP (translation: a Black American Princess instead of a Jewish American Princess. For any other princesses just put your ethnicity in front and add American Princess. For instance you can be a SAP, Spanish American Princess; a DAP, Dominican American Princess; or even a MAP, Mexican American Princess. Can you imagine being a BAP, SAP, or MAP? Whatever Princess you are, just make sure your Prince is taking care of you.

   2010 April 28, B.J.Ray, Porgies Are Best: A Fishmonger’s Daughter, page 42

   Frank, Annalise’s main henchman, blames Laurel, the intern student he’s screwing, for messing up their secret trip to get DNA. “I’m pissed because you tattled to the teacher like the spoiled little M.A.P you are,” he snaps. Someone in the car asks what’s a M.A.P? “A Mexican American Princess,” Laurel explains, pissed off at the pejorative.

   2016 January 6, James West, “One of the Best TV Shows of 2016 Will Still Be “How to Get Away With Murder.” Here’s Why.”, in Mother Jones

10. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableanimationInitialism of multi-animator project; an animation created by several collaborating animators.
11. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of muscle action potential
12. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of mean arterial pressure