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When is a book not a book? When it’s a tome—tome being a word that has always suggested something less or more than the word book. When tome was first used in English, it referred to a book that was part of a larger, multi-volume work, which makes sense given that it comes from tomos, a Greek noun meaning “section” or “roll of papyrus” that comes in turn from the verb temnein, meaning “to cut” (in ancient times, long scrolls of papyrus were often divided into sections). While tome retains this meaning today, it usually refers instead to a book that is larger and more scholarly than average, as evidenced by some of the most common adjectives that precede it, including weighty, lengthy, massive, heavy, hefty, and academic.
Examples of tome in a Sentence
Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
Along with the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, these tomes were Mom’s culinary guides for many classic recipes, including roast chicken, pie crust, and dinner rolls.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
The visually stunning tome, timed to Marilyn’s centenary, recounts the friendship and creative collaboration between Josh’s grandfather Bruno Bernard, a Jewish German immigrant who became a legendary showbiz photographer, and Hollywood’s most iconic movie star.
—Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Once considered the definitive Monroe biography, Spoto’s thorough tome has been criticized for sometimes-unclear sourcing and being overly sympathetic.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tome
Cite this Entry
“Tome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tome. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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tome
noun
