name

Sodom

SO-duhm

Sodom (name) means a city described in the Bible as destroyed, along with Gomorrah, as divine punishment for the wickedness of its people.

name

A city described in the Bible as destroyed, along with Gomorrah, as divine punishment for the wickedness of its people.

"The preacher compared the city's corruption to the fall of Sodom."

noun

By extension, any place regarded as thoroughly corrupt or sinful.

"Critics called the gambling town a modern Sodom."

"He described the nightclub district as a Sodom of vice and excess."

How to use Sodom

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe biblical city of sin, or, loosely, any place seen as morally corrupt.

Common pairings

a modern Sodom Sodom and Gomorrah

Word forms

Sodoms plural

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Etymology

From the Hebrew place name transmitted through Greek and Old English; the biblical city name became a byword for moral decay.

Origin: Old English

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of Sodom?

"Sodom" (name) means a city described in the Bible as destroyed, along with Gomorrah, as divine punishment for the wickedness of its people.

What are the different meanings of Sodom?

"Sodom" has 2 main meanings: 1. A city described in the Bible as destroyed, along with Gomorrah, as divine punishment for the wickedness of its people; 2. By extension, any place regarded as thoroughly corrupt or sinful.

How do you use Sodom in a sentence?

Example: "The preacher compared the city's corruption to the fall of Sodom."