atlas
UK: ˈætləs | US: ˈætləs
n. 1. A collection of maps, typically bound in book form.
n. 2. (Greek Mythology) A Titan condemned to hold up the heavens for eternity.
n. 3. (Anatomy) The topmost vertebra of the neck, supporting the skull.
The word "atlas" originates from the name of the Greek Titan Atlas, who was punished by Zeus to bear the heavens on his shoulders. The modern meaning (a collection of maps) arose in the 16th century when cartographer Gerardus Mercator used an image of Atlas holding the globe on his shoulders as the frontispiece of his map collection. Over time, the term became synonymous with map compilations. The anatomical sense (vertebra) derives from the same mythological analogy, as the vertebra "supports" the head like Atlas held up the sky.
She flipped through the atlas to plan their road trip across Europe.
In Greek mythology, Atlas was eternally burdened with the weight of the celestial sphere.
The surgeon carefully examined the patient's atlas vertebra after the accident.
Modern digital atlases have replaced many traditional paper versions.
The library’s rare book collection includes a 17th-century atlas with hand-painted maps.