mapping

American  

[map-ing] / ˈmæp ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or operation of making a map or maps.

2. Mathematics. function.

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mapping British  

/ ˈmæpɪŋ /

noun

1. maths another name for function

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Etymology

Origin of mapping

First recorded in 1765–75; map + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

In Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers were still mapping networks of insurgents and roadside bombs by hand until FDEs arrived to stitch together PowerPoints and memos into a centralized intelligence platform.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

That included investment in products to help teachers with administrative tasks, an automated mapping system to monitor puffin populations using drones, and software to identify toxins which could give firefighters cancer.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

"This is an ecological ticking time bomb," said Nina Noelle, of Greenpeace Germany, who has been mapping oil tankers in the region.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

These concerns weren’t hypothetical; D.C. has a history of questionable broadband mapping.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

It is still almost untouched—archaelogists have not finished mapping the earthworks and canals.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann