tome

1 of 2

noun

1
: book
especially : a large or scholarly book
2
: a volume forming part of a larger work

-tome

2 of 2

noun combining form

1
: part : segment
myotome
2
: cutting instrument
microtome

Examples of tome in a Sentence

Noun a long tome on European history picked up a thick tome on the Roman Empire at a used book store
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Part of the tome of information left behind for the buyer explained how to mow the lawn — the neighbor’s lawn, that is. Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 19 May 2024 The film will be based on Walter Isaacson’s 2017 biography of Leonardo, a sprawling tome based largely on the polymath’s notebooks. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for tome 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin tomus, from Greek tomos section, roll of papyrus, tome, from temnein to cut; akin to Middle Irish tamnaid he lops, Polish ciąć to cut, and perhaps to Latin tondēre to shear

Noun combining form

Greek tomos

First Known Use

Noun

1519, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tome was in 1519

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near tome

Cite this Entry

“Tome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tome. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

tome

noun
: a big thick book

More from Merriam-Webster on tome

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!