maplike · adj — having the characteristics of a map.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, maplike ranks #6,950 of 17,134 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #12,921 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #13,623 of 17,157 for Most Exacting Words, #13,650 of 17,135 for Most Beautiful Words.
Why “maplike” is a great word
Having the characteristics or appearance of a map. From English *map* and the suffix *-like* (meaning 'having the characteristics of'), first attested in 1821 by Charles Lamb. Unlike "cartographic" (which pertains to the science or practice of map-making) or "diagrammatic" (which denotes a simplified, abstract sketch), "maplike" speaks purely to a quality of resemblance. It is the cracked glaze of an ancient porcelain plate whose fractures trace phantom coastlines, the varicose veins spreading across the back of an elderly hand like rivers to an inland sea, or the dust-stained corner of a forgotten attic where light falls in such a way that floorboards become latitude lines—the human eye forever seeking in the random the comfort of a legend and a scale.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From map + -like.
adj
- Having the characteristics of a map.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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