Atlas definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AT'LAS, n.
1. A collection of maps in a volume; supposed to be so called from a picture of mount Atlas, supporting the heavens, prefixed to some collection.
2. A large square folio, resembling a volume of maps.
3. The supporters of a building.
4. A silk satin, or stuff, manufactured in the east, with admirable ingenuity. Atlasses are plain, striped, or flowered; but they have not the fine gloss and luster of some French silks.
5. The first vertebra of the neck.
6. A term applied to paper, as atlas fine.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: (Greek mythology) a Titan who was forced by Zeus to bear the sky on his shoulders
2: a collection of maps in book form [syn: atlas, book of maps, map collection]
3: the 1st cervical vertebra [syn: atlas, atlas vertebra]
4: a figure of a man used as a supporting column [syn: atlas, telamon]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Latin Atlant-, Atlas, from Greek Date: 1513 1. capitalized a Titan who for his part in the Titans' revolt against the gods is forced by Zeus to support the heavens on his shoulders 2. capitalized one who bears a heavy burden 3. a. a bound collection of maps often including illustrations, informative tables, or textual matter b. a bound collection of tables, charts, or plates 4. the first vertebra of the neck 5. plural usually atlantes a male figure used like a caryatid as a supporting column or pilaster — called also telamon

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a book of maps or charts. 2 Anat. the cervical vertebra of the backbone articulating with the skull at the neck. Etymology: L f. Gk Atlas -antos a Titan who held up the pillars of the universe, whose picture appeared at the beginning of early atlases

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Atlas At"las, n.; pl. Atlases. [L. Atlas, -antis, Gr. ?, ?, one of the older family of gods, who bears up the pillars of heaven; also Mt. Atlas, in W. Africa, regarded as the pillar of heaven. It is from the root of ? to bear. See Tolerate.] 1. One who sustains a great burden. 2. (Anat.) The first vertebra of the neck, articulating immediately with the skull, thus sustaining the globe of the head, whence the name. 3. A collection of maps in a volume; Note: supposed to be so called from a picture of Atlas supporting the world, prefixed to some collections. This name is said to have been first used by Mercator, the celebrated geographer, in the 16th century. 4. A volume of plates illustrating any subject. 5. A work in which subjects are exhibited in a tabular from or arrangement; as, an historical atlas. 6. A large, square folio, resembling a volume of maps; -- called also atlas folio. 7. A drawing paper of large size. See under Paper, n. Atlas powder, a nitroglycerin blasting compound of pasty consistency and great explosive power.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Atlas At"las, n. [Ar., smooth.] A rich kind of satin manufactured in India. --Brande & C.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(atlases) An atlas is a book of maps. N-COUNT

Moby Thesaurus

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Moby Thesaurus

Lambert conformal projection, Mercator projection, Miller projection, aeronautical chart, arcade, astronomical chart, azimuthal equidistant projection, azimuthal projection, calendar, cartographer, cartography, caryatid, casebook, catalog, catalogue raisonne, celestial chart, celestial globe, chart, chorographer, chorography, city directory, classified catalog, climatic chart, colonnade, colonnette, column, concordance, conic projection, contour line, contour map, cyclopedia, cylindrical projection, diatesseron, dictionary catalog, directory, encyclopedia, gazetteer, general reference map, globe, gnomonic projection, graphic scale, grid line, hachure, harmony, heliographic chart, hydrographic chart, index, isoline, latitude, layer tint, legend, longitude, map, map maker, map projection, mapper, meridian, parallel, peristyle, phone book, photogrammetrist, photogrammetry, photomap, phototopography, physical map, pier, pilaster, pillar, political map, polyconic projection, polyglot, portico, post, projection, record book, reference book, relief map, representative fraction, road map, scale, sinusoidal projection, source book, special map, studbook, telamon, telephone book, telephone directory, terrain map, terrestrial globe, thematic map, topographer, topographic chart, topography, transportation map, weather chart, weather map, work of reference