Atlas vs. Globe — What's the Difference?

An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or a region of Earth. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats.

A globe is a spherical model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down.

Greek Mythology A Titan condemned by Zeus to support the heavens upon his shoulders.

The earth

Atlas A person who supports a great burden.

A spherical or rounded object

A book or bound collection of maps, sometimes with supplementary illustrations and graphic analyses.

A lightbulb.

A volume of tables, charts, or plates that systematically illustrates a particular subject

Form (something) into a globe

A large size of drawing paper, measuring 26 × 33 or 26 × 34 inches.

A body with the shape of a sphere, especially a representation of the earth in the form of a hollow ball.

Pl. at·lan·tes (ăt-lăntēz) Architecture A standing or kneeling figure of a man used as a supporting column, as for an entablature or balcony. Also called telamon.

The earth.

(Anatomy) The top or first cervical vertebra of the neck, which supports the skull.

A planet.

A bound collection of maps often including tables, illustrations or other text.

A spherical or bowllike container, especially a glass cover for a light bulb.

A bound collection of tables, illustrations etc. on any given subject.

A sphere emblematic of sovereignty; an orb.

A detailed visual conspectus of something of great and multi-faceted complexity, with its elements splayed so as to be presented in as discrete a manner as possible whilst retaining a realistic view of the whole.

To assume the shape of or form into a sphere.

A family of coordinate charts that cover a manifold.

Any spherical (or nearly spherical) object.

(anatomy) The uppermost vertebra of the cervical spine in the neck in humans and some other animals.

The planet Earth.

One who supports a heavy burden; mainstay.

A spherical model of Earth or other planet.

(architecture) A figure of a man used as a column.

A light bulb.

(paper) A sheet of paper measuring 26 inches by 34 inches.

A circular military formation used in Ancient Rome, corresponding to the modern infantry square.

(historical) A rich satin fabric.

A woman's breast.

One who sustains a great burden.

(obsolete) A group.

The first vertebra of the neck, articulating immediately with the skull, thus sustaining the globe of the head, whence the name.

A land snail of the genus Mesodon

A collection of maps in a volume

(intransitive) To become spherical.

A volume of plates illustrating any subject.

(transitive) To make spherical.

A work in which subjects are exhibited in a tabular from or arrangement; as, an historical atlas.

A round or spherical body, solid or hollow; a body whose surface is in every part equidistant from the center; a ball; a sphere.

A large, square folio, resembling a volume of maps; - called also atlas folio.

Anything which is nearly spherical or globular in shape; as, the globe of the eye; the globe of a lamp.

A rich kind of satin manufactured in India.

The earth; the terraqueous ball; - usually preceded by the definite article.

(Greek mythology) a Titan who was forced by Zeus to bear the sky on his shoulders

A round model of the world; a spherical representation of the earth or heavens; as, a terrestrial or celestial globe; - called also artificial globe.

A collection of maps in book form

A body of troops, or of men or animals, drawn up in a circle; - a military formation used by the Romans, answering to the modern infantry square.

The 1st cervical vertebra

To gather or form into a globe.

A figure of a man used as a supporting column

The 3rd planet from the sun; the planet on which we live;

An object with a spherical shape;

A sphere on which a map (especially of the earth) is represented