map / map/ • n. 1. a diagrammatic representation of an area of land or sea showing physical features, cities, roads, etc.: a street map | fig. expansion of the service sector is reshaping the map of employment. ∎  a two-dimensional representation of the positions of stars or other astronomical objects. ∎  a diagram or collection of data showing the spatial arrangement or distribution of something over an area: an electron density map. ∎  Biol. a representation of the sequence of genes on a chromosome or of bases in a DNA or RNA molecule. ∎  Math. another term for mapping. 2. inf., dated a person's face.• v. (mapped , map·ping ) [tr.] represent (an area) on a map; make a map of: inaccessible parts will be mapped from the air. ∎  record in detail the spatial distribution of (something): the project to map the human genome. ∎  [tr.] associate (a group of elements or qualities) with an equivalent group, according to a particular formula or model: the transformational rules map deep structures into surface structures. ∎  Math. associate each element of (a set) with an element of another set. ∎  [intr.] be associated or linked to something: it is not obvious that the subprocesses of language will map onto individual brain areas.PHRASES: off the map (of a place) very distant or remote: just a hick town, right off the map.put something on the map bring something to prominence: the exhibition put Cubism on the map.wipe something off the map obliterate something totally.PHRASAL VERBS: map something out plan a route or course of action in detail: I mapped out a route over familiar country near home.DERIVATIVES: map·less adj.map·pa·ble adj.map·per n.