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album

/ˈælbəm/

/ˈælbəm/

IPA guide

Other forms: albums

An album is a book of photographs, mementos, or a collection of some other kind — like music. As digital forms of photographs and music become more popular, albums are becoming a thing of the past.

A photo album is full of pictures, and a stamp collector's album contains stamps from different countries. Another kind of album is a collection of songs, either on a record or a CD. In Latin, album means "white," and in ancient times it referred to a blank tablet. 16th century German academics kept what they called an album amicorum, or a collection of colleagues' signatures, and from there album came to mean "souvenir book."

Definitions of album
  1. noun
    a book of blank pages with pockets or envelopes; for organizing photographs or stamp collections etc
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    types:
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    autograph album
    an album for autographs
    phonograph album, record album
    an album for holding phonograph records
    photograph album
    an album for photographs
    scrapbook
    an album into which clippings or notes or pictures can be pasted
    stamp album
    an album for stamps
    type of:
    book, volume
    physical objects consisting of a number of pages bound together
  2. noun
    one or more recordings issued together; originally released on 12-inch phonograph records (usually with attractive record covers) and later on cassette audiotape and compact disc
    synonyms: record album
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    types:
    concept album
    an album whose recordings are unified by some theme (instrumental or lyrical or narrative or compositional)
    rock opera
    albums of rock music that aspired to the status of art; first appeared in the 1960s
    benefit album, tribute album
    concept album compiling a performer's work or work supporting some worthy cause
    type of:
    medium
    a means or instrumentality for storing or communicating information
Pronunciation
US

/ˈælbəm/

UK

/ˈælbəm/

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