map

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A flat drawing or picture of an area showing things such as roads, borders, rivers or buildings.

   Grammar: Used with an or the and plural maps: a map of the city.

   Patterns

   • a map of somewhere
   • on the map
   • read a map

   I unfolded the map and tried to find the nearest campsite.

   There is a large map of the world on the classroom wall.

   She marked the hiking route on the map in red.

2. 2nouncountabletechnical

   A diagram or chart showing how things are arranged or connected, not necessarily on land.

   Grammar: Usually followed by of: a map of the brain, a map of the genes.

   Patterns

   • a map of something
   • a mind map

   Scientists produced a map of all the genes on the chromosome.

   The teacher drew a mind map to link the main ideas.

   The brain map shows which areas control movement.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To record or draw the features of an area, or to show something in a diagram.

   Grammar: Takes an object: They mapped the cave system.

   Patterns

   • map something
   • map out something

   Explorers mapped the coastline over three summers.

   Researchers are mapping the spread of the disease.

   The team used drones to map the damaged forest.

4. 4verbtransitive

   To plan something carefully step by step, usually with out.

   Grammar: Takes an object and out: He mapped out the whole plan.

   Patterns

   • map something out
   • map out a plan

   She sat down and mapped out her study schedule for the semester.

   The coach mapped out the strategy for the final.

   Before we start building, let's map out the main stages.

5. 5verbtransitivemathematicscomputing

   In mathematics and computing, to match each item in one set with a corresponding item in another.

   Grammar: Often with to or onto: map each name to a number.

   Patterns

   • map something to something
   • map something onto something

   The function maps each number to its square.

   The program maps every username to a unique ID.

   This table maps color names onto hexadecimal codes.

Word forms

Common combinations

road map

The company published a road map for the next five years.

read a map

My brother never learned to read a map and relies on his phone.

put on the map

The festival put the small town on the map.

map out

We mapped out our route before leaving.

treasure map

The children followed a hand-drawn treasure map around the garden.

street map

Buy a street map if you are going to explore the old town.

Synonyms and how they differ

chart

Chart is often used for sea or sky maps and for data displays, so it is narrower than map in everyday use.

plan

Plan usually shows the layout of a building or small site seen from above, whereas a map shows a larger area.

diagram

Diagram can be a drawing of any structure or process, so it is wider than map.

atlas

Atlas is a book of maps, not a single map.

Word family

mapping noun

the activity of making maps, or a match between two sets

mapper noun

a person or tool that makes maps

mapmaker noun

a person who draws maps

cartography noun

the art and science of making maps

remap verb

to map again or to assign new functions

Commonly confused: map or chart?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “map”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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