Meaning & use

atlas

noun·Everyday

A book of maps, or a bound collection of charts showing geographic, statistical, or other information.

See it in a sentence

He looked up the small island in an old atlas from the school library.

The classroom kept a world atlas for students studying different countries and capitals.

A note on using this word

Atlas also names the topmost bone of the spine, which supports the skull, taking its name from the mythological Titan who held up the sky.

Words with a similar meaning

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Another way to use it

2. noun

The top vertebra of the spine, which supports the skull and allows it to nod.

A blow to the neck can sometimes fracture the atlas near the base of the skull.

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