Reading Theme:
Album Definition, Examples, and Usage (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：music album (album)
album
/ˈæl.bəm/
n.
A collection of several songs released together by a musician or band, usually on a CD, record, or online.
music album
➕
/ˈmjuːzɪk ˈæl.bəm/
n.
A group of songs released together as a single product, typically on CD, vinyl, or streaming platforms.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
Latin 'albus' (white) → blank tablet → collection book → music album.
💡 Mnemonic
Think ALBum: A Little Bundle of songs or snapshots.
📖 Example
I just discovered her new album on the music app, and I've been listening to it all day.
I recently found her latest album on the music streaming service and have been playing it nonstop.
🔗 Collocations
album release – The act of making an album available to the public.
debut album – The first official album by an artist.
studio album – An album recorded in a studio, as opposed to a live album.
🔄 Synonyms
record (n.) – A physical or digital medium containing music; often synonymous with album.
LP (n.) – A long-playing vinyl record, typically referring to a full album.
collection (n.) – A set of musical pieces put together.
🚫 Antonyms
single (n.) – A release with only one or a few songs, opposite of a full album.
📖 Cultural Story
Ancient Romans used white boards ('album') for announcements. Later, blank books for stamps/photos were called albums. In the 1900s, the term was adopted for a collection of songs on a record, like a 'book' of music.
Meaning 2：photo album (album)
album
/ˈæl.bəm/
n.
A book with empty pages where you can stick or place photos, stamps, or postcards to keep and look at them later.
photo album
➕
/ˈfoʊtoʊ ˈæl.bəm/
n.
A book with blank pages designed for storing and displaying photographs, stamps, or other collectibles.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
We spent the afternoon looking through my grandmother's old photo album, laughing at the family hairstyles from the 1980s.
We spent hours browsing my grandmother's vintage photo album, enjoying the hairstyles from the 80s.
🔗 Collocations
family album – A photo album containing pictures of family members and events.
photo album – An album for storing photographs.
stamp album – A book designed for organizing and displaying postage stamps.
🔄 Synonyms
scrapbook (n.) – A book with blank pages for pasting photos, clippings, etc.
photo book (n.) – A bound collection of photographs.
portfolio (n.) – A folder or album for storing loose artwork or photos.
🚫 Antonyms
digital gallery (n.) – An online or electronic collection of images, as opposed to a physical photo album.
Wordbook
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