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noun Uncommon

tome

tohm

Tome (noun) means a large, heavy, or scholarly book, especially one volume in a series. Example: “The professor kept a shelf of dusty tomes on medieval law.”

noun
1
A large, heavy, or scholarly book, especially one volume in a series.
"The professor kept a shelf of dusty tomes on medieval law."
"She lugged the enormous tome home from the library."

How to use tome

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA thick, often serious or academic book — usually one part of a bigger set.

Memory tip

Use it for hefty, weighty books, not for a slim paperback novel.

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Common pairings
a weighty tome a scholarly tome a dusty tome

Word forms

tomes plural, Tomes plural

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The professor kept a shelf of dusty _____ on medieval law.

Etymology

From Middle French tome, from Latin tomus ("section of a larger work"), from Ancient Greek tomos ("a cutting, a roll of papyrus"), from temno, "to cut."

Origin: Ancient Greek

Rhymes for tome

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Frequently asked questions

What does “tome” mean?

The word “tome” means a large, heavy, or scholarly book, especially one volume in a series. In plain terms, a thick, often serious or academic book — usually one part of a bigger set.

How do you pronounce “tome”?

“Tome” is pronounced tohm (/toʊm/ in IPA).

How do you use “tome” in a sentence?

Here is “tome” used in a sentence: “The professor kept a shelf of dusty tomes on medieval law.”

What part of speech is “tome”?

“Tome” is a noun.

Where does the word “tome” come from?

The word “tome” comes from Ancient Greek. From Middle French tome, from Latin tomus ("section of a larger work"), from Ancient Greek tomos ("a cutting, a roll of papyrus"), from temno, "to cut.".

Is “tome” a common word?

“Tome” is an uncommon word in modern English.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial