An album=a picture book

Question

Can I refer an album as a picture book?

Floral · Accepted Answer

Album means a book which blank pages for insertion of photographs.
Picture book means a book which has a lot of illustrations for reading.

David · Answer

An album could be used for stamps and other things.

Asdf_user · Answer

Your album might only have pictures in it, with no space for words.  A picture book usually means a childrens book that has some words and lots of pictures.

Guest · Answer

In the picture book, pictures are printed.
In an album, photos are stuck.

MrPedantic · Answer

Hello thorn

There are four uses of 'album' in this context.

Meanings to exclude:

1. A collection of (usually musical) recordings on LP, cassette, or CD. 'Album' can also be used for the cardboard sleeves in which LPs are sold.

2. A book containing blank pages, in which your friends and visitors write poems and comments, or draw small pictures, etc. This use of the word 'album' was prevalent in the 19th century in Europe.

Meanings to consider:

3. A book containing blank pages to which you attach your collection of items such as photographs, cigarette cards, stamps, etc; or in which autographs are written.

4. A folder or portfolio or book which contains your collection of sheet music, prints, paintings, sketches, etc. (In this sense, the items usually form the 'pages', rather than being attached to blank pages.)

But although #3 and #4 do contain pictures of one kind and another, 'picture book' would now mostly be used to refer to a commercially distributed book (probably for children) with printed pictures on most of the pages. It would in fact be slightly misleading to use it in any of the senses of 'album' I've given above.

MrP

An album=a picture book

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