English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun

tome

tohm
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.

Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
a weighty tome a scholarly tome a dusty tome

Word Forms

tomes plural, Tomes plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “tome” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

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."

Rhymes for tome

See all rhymes for tome →
Definitions: FreeDict original editorial