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View synonyms for

tome

1

[tohm]

noun

  1. a book, especially a very heavy, large, or learned book.

  2. a volume forming a part of a larger work.



-tome

2
  1. a combining form with the meanings “cutting instrument” (microtome; osteotome ), “segment, somite” (sclerotome ), used in the formation of compound words.

tome

1

/ əʊ /

noun

  1. a large weighty book

  2. one of the several volumes of a work

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

-tome

2

combining form

  1. indicating an instrument for cutting

    osteotome

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tome1

First recorded in 1510–20; from French, from Latin tomus, from Greek óDz “slice, piece, roll of paper, book,” akin to éԱ𾱲 “to cut”

Origin of tome2

Combining form representing Greek ٴdzḗ a cutting; óDz a cut, slice; -tomon (neuter), -tomos (masculine) -cutting (adj.)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tome1

C16: from French, from Latin tomus section of larger work, from Greek tomos a slice, from temnein to cut; related to Latin ٴDzԻŧ to shear

Origin of tome2

from Greek ٴdzŧ a cutting, tomos a slice, from temnein to cut
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

In practice, this has led to tomes of environmental impact reports, including volumes of soil testing and traffic modeling studies, and sometimes years of disputes in court.

From

Though the Trump administration continues to deny any connection to Project 2025, the creators of the massive tome were always clear about their presidential intentions.

From

The menu is less a document than an ordeal — a spiral-bound tome with the heft of a toddler and the narrative arc of a theme park ride.

From

The tome evolved from what Boneta originally envisioned as a screenplay inspired by some of the roles he had auditioned for and lost.

From

Levitsky attended Stanford and then UC Berkeley, and likely would have spent his career in relative obscurity, writing academic tomes about political parties in Argentina.

From

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When To Use

does -tome mean?

The combining form -tome is used like a suffix to mean “cutting instrument” as well as a “segment, somite.” A somite is a scientific term designating body segments in animals like worms or segments of a developing embryo.The form -tome is used in some scientific and medical terms, especially in anatomy and surgery. It comes from the Greek ٴdzḗ, meaning “a cutting,” and óDz, “a cut, slice.”The Greek root óDz, which can also mean “piece, roll of paper, or book,” is also the source of the word tome. Crack open the history of tome at our entry for the word. Also related to óDz is atom. ’s the big idea behind atoms and cutting? Find out in our Origin section for this term.Related to -tome are the combining forms -ectomy, -tomous, -tomy, and tomo-. Slice into their specific meanings at our Words That Use articles for the forms.

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