tome

1 of 2

noun

ˈtōm 

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

Synonyms

Noun

• book
• volume

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

The young boy’s father replaced his son’s rudimentary mammal book with a more comprehensive tome by J.G. Wood, an English author of popular volumes on natural history. —Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Oct. 2024

To be released October 24 by luxury publisher Assouline, this hefty (10-by-13-inch, five-pound, 312-page) coffee-table tome showcases premiere vineyards, top wines, rousing adventures and sublime bliss. —Laura Manske, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024

The tome is undeniably emotional, with some passages written directly to his late brother. —Gary Graff, Billboard, 18 Oct. 2024

The tome uses her own paintings and photographs alongside recipes that highlight the creative process that takes place in the kitchen, too. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2024

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

Kids Definition

tome

noun

ˈtōm 

: a big thick book