atlases
|at-las|
/ˈæt.ləs/
(atlas)
held-up/support; book of maps
Etymology
'atlas' originates from Greek, specifically the name 'Atlas', where 'Atlas' referred to the mythological Titan who bore the heavens.
'atlas' was applied in Renaissance and Early Modern usage to collections of maps (notably popularized by Gerardus Mercator's and others' map books), evolving from the proper name 'Atlas' into the common noun 'atlas' meaning a book of maps.
Initially it referred to the mythological figure 'Atlas'; over time it came to mean 'a collection of maps' and later extended to similar compilations (charts, plates) and to the anatomical term for the first cervical vertebra.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a book or bound collection of maps.
Many school libraries keep several atlases for students to use.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a systematic collection of maps, charts, plates, or diagrams relating to a particular subject (e.g., geological atlases, star atlases).
Geologists consulted regional geological atlases when planning the survey.
Synonyms
Noun 3
anatomy: the first cervical vertebra (C1) that supports the skull; plural form referring to more than one such vertebra or specimens.
In the dissection lab we examined several atlases and axes to learn neck anatomy.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/12 01:30