atlas

/ˈætləs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈætləs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈat-ləs/ (ame, mw)

atlas — noun

1. a printed book whose pages are mostly maps, used to look up where countries, cit

1.名詞B2
釋義

a printed book whose pages are mostly maps, used to look up where countries, cities, oceans, or roads are located.

例句

Mei pulled a worn world atlas off the shelf to find Mongolia.

collocation: world atlas

Every Year 7 student at the school received a road atlas of Taiwan.

collocation: road atlas of [place]

同義詞
  • map book

    everyday phrase; less formal than atlas

  • gazetteer

    a place-name index, often paired with an atlas but text-based, not maps

用法筆記

Frequently modified by a place name or scope (world, road, school, family). Distinguish from sense 2: a plain atlas just shows geography; a thematic atlas shows where things happen or are produced.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a map atlas of Europe.
✅I bought an atlas of Europe.
💡'atlas' already means a book of maps, so 'map atlas' is repetitive.
❌She opened the atlas in page 30.
✅She opened the atlas to page 30.
💡use 'to' with a page, not 'in'.

2. a book of maps focused on one specific topic — for example, where certain animal

2.名詞B2
釋義

a book of maps focused on one specific topic — for example, where certain animals live, where a language is spoken, or where wine is grown.

例句

Dr. Lin published a bird atlas covering every species seen in Taiwan.

collocation: bird / wildlife atlas

The wine atlas shows which valleys in France grow each grape variety.

collocation: wine atlas of [region]

同義詞

用法筆記

Almost always preceded by the topic noun (bird atlas, wine atlas, soil atlas, climate atlas). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 shows places; sense 2 shows the geography of one specific subject.

常見錯誤

❌an atlas about birds
✅a bird atlas' or 'an atlas of birds
💡the topic is normally placed before 'atlas' or joined with 'of'.

3. the highest bone in the spine, sitting just under the skull and allowing the hea

3.名詞C1
釋義

the highest bone in the spine, sitting just under the skull and allowing the head to nod up and down.

例句

The X-ray showed a small crack in Mr. Chen's atlas after the car crash.

anatomical context: injury to the atlas

Dr. Park explained that the atlas lets you tilt your head forward and back.

function: nodding motion

同義詞

用法筆記

Specialist anatomy term; outside medical or biology contexts most speakers say 'top vertebra' or 'first neck bone'. Distinguish from senses 1 and 2 (which are books) — context almost always makes it clear.

常見錯誤

❌The atlas is in the lower back.
✅The atlas is at the top of the spine, under the skull.
💡by definition the atlas sits directly below the head.