atlas

/ˈætləs/
noun
  1. A book of maps or charts, often including facts about geography, population, and other data.
    • My phone has a digital atlas that helps me navigate when I travel.
    • The old atlas on the shelf shows countries that no longer exist.
    • We used a world atlas to find the capital of Mongolia for our school project.
  2. In Greek mythology, a Titan who was punished by Zeus to hold up the sky on his shoulders; often depicted carrying the world.
    • In the museum, there is a statue of Atlas holding a giant globe on his back.
    • The story of Atlas is one of the most famous myths from ancient Greece.
    • Atlas was condemned to bear the weight of the heavens for eternity.
  3. The topmost vertebra of the spine, which supports the skull and allows the head to nod.
    • The atlas bone is named after the Titan because it holds up the head like Atlas held up the sky.
    • A chiropractor can adjust the atlas to relieve neck pain.
    • Injuries to the atlas can be very serious because it protects the spinal cord.
Synonyms
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