albums
albums
Pronunciation
Albums: /ˈælbəmz/
al- /æl/
/æ/ - short "a" sound (as in "cat")
/l/ - "l" sound
bums /bəmz/
/b/ - "b" sound
/ə/ - schwa sound (as in "sofa")
/m/ - "m" sound
/z/ - "z" sound
Word Form Variations
Singular: album
Plural: albums
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
1. A collection of photographs, stamps, or other memorabilia, typically bound in a book. * Definition: A book-like compilation designed for organizing and preserving personal photographs, commemorative stamps, or various other collected items, often with protective sleeves or mounting pages. * Synonyms: scrapbook, collection, portfolio, compendium * Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "disorder" or "unorganized items" would be thematic opposites)
2. A long-playing record (LP), compact disc (CD), or other audio recording containing a collection of musical tracks or spoken-word performances. * Definition: A commercially released audio recording, originally on vinyl or later on digital formats, comprising a curated set of musical compositions or spoken content from an artist or group. * Synonyms: record, CD, LP, disc, release, recording * Antonyms: single (as in a single track release, not an entire collection)
Examples of Use
Books:
"She spent hours poring over old family albums, tracing the lineage of her ancestors through faded photographs." (Example based on common narrative themes in historical fiction)
"The author's latest novel, a sprawling epic, felt like flipping through a meticulously curated photo album of a bygone era." (The New York Times Book Review, May 2023)
Newspapers:
"Local artist donates rare stamp album to city museum, highlighting a lifelong passion for philately." (The Daily Chronicle, January 2024)
"Sales of vinyl albums have continued their resurgence, defying predictions of their demise in the digital age." (The Wall Street Journal, October 2023)
Online Publications:
"Our comprehensive guide to the best new music albums of 2024 features a diverse range of genres and artists." (Pitchfork, December 2024)
"Instagram's new feature allows users to create collaborative photo albums with friends and family." (TechCrunch, April 2025)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Music Streaming (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music): "Play the new Taylor Swift album." (Common voice command on smart speakers/streaming apps)
Television Series (e.g., "The Crown"): "The Queen often revisited private photo albums to reflect on key moments of her reign." (Dialogue from a historical drama series)
Video Games (e.g., "Life is Strange"): Players often find or interact with photo albums as part of the game's narrative or collectible system.
Podcasts: "In this episode, we dissect the cultural impact of classic rock albums from the 1970s." (From a music history podcast)
General Public Discourse:
"Did you see the pictures from their vacation? They put together a beautiful photo album online." (Casual conversation)
"I'm trying to digitize all my old family albums so they don't get damaged." (Everyday discussion about preserving memories)
"My favorite band is releasing a new album next month, and I can't wait to hear it!" (Enthusiastic fan discussion)
10 Famous Quotes Using Albums
"I make albums to fill up the void that I have, and I'm hoping that other people can feel that void, too." (Billie Eilish)
"I think of my albums as a collection of short stories." (Taylor Swift)
"My albums are very personal. I don't really do anything that isn't personal." (Adele)
"We don't make albums for just one song; we make albums for all of them." (Dave Grohl)
"I always felt like my albums were a little bit like diary entries." (Ed Sheeran)
"I grew up on albums, and I still love the idea of a cohesive body of work." (Alicia Keys)
"For me, making albums is about capturing a moment in time." (John Legend)
"My albums are like snapshots of where I am creatively at that moment." (Lana Del Rey)
"I don't think about hit singles when I'm making albums; I think about the whole journey." (Coldplay)
"I listen to a lot of old albums and I get inspired by the storytelling." (Harry Styles)
Etymology
The word "album" has a pretty interesting journey!
It comes from the Latin word "album," which simply meant "white tablet" or "white board." In ancient Rome, these were literally white-plastered boards set up in public places. They were used to display important public notices, announcements, and decrees. Think of them like ancient bulletin boards or chalkboards.
So, the very first known use of "album" was to describe these public display boards. They were "white" because they were typically plastered or painted white to make the writing stand out.
Over many centuries, the meaning evolved. People started using "album" to refer to blank books where they could collect things. For example, in the 18th century, it was used for books where people collected autographs or pressed flowers. This is where we start to see the connection to the idea of a collection.
Eventually, in the 19th century, it specifically came to mean a book for holding photographs, and much later, in the 20th century, it was adopted for a collection of musical recordings.
So, from a simple white board for public notices, "album" became a word for a collection of various things, whether they're pictures, stamps, or songs!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Albums
Photo album: A common phrase referring to a book or collection of photographs.
Family album: Specifically, a photo album containing pictures of family members.
Music album: Refers to a collection of recorded songs by an artist.
Debut album: An artist's first official music album release.
Concept album: A music album where all songs contribute to a single, overarching theme or story.
Live album: A music album recorded during a concert performance.
Studio album: A music album recorded primarily in a studio setting, as opposed to a live performance.
To drop an album: Informal phrase meaning to release a new music album.
To put an album together: To compile or create a collection, especially of photos or music.
Flip through an album: To quickly look through the pages of a photo album.
In the album of memories: (Lesser-known/original, using the "collection" sense) Referring to one's personal collection of past experiences.
A scrapbook of life: (Using a synonym, "scrapbook," for similar effect) A metaphorical collection of experiences and memories.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of albums from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
