n. 1. a. A book with blank pages for the insertion and preservation of collections, as of stamps or photographs. b. A collection of personal photographs or other images that are arranged for private viewing, as in book or on a computer. 2. a. A set of musical recordings that are issued together, usually by a single artist. b. A phonograph record, especially a long-playing record stored in a slipcase. 3. A printed collection of musical compositions, pictures, or literary selections. 4. A tall, handsomely printed book, popular especially in the 19th century, often having profuse illustrations and short, sentimental texts. [Latin, blank tablet, from neuter of albus, white; see albho- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.