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

/ təʊm /

noun

1. a large weighty book

2. one of the several volumes of a work

-tome

²

combining form

1. indicating an instrument for cutting

   osteotome

Word History and Origins

Origin of tome¹

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

Origin of tome²

Combining form representing Greek tomḗ a cutting; tómos a cut, slice; -tomon (neuter), -tomos (masculine) -cutting (adj.)

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 tondēre to shear

Origin of tome²

from Greek tomē a cutting, tomos a slice, from temnein to cut

Example Sentences

In the tome of essays, author and educator Patricia Pisters discusses Madonna’s ability to transcend the traditional objectification and victimization that famous women are usually subject to.

From Salon

Some of them were serious tomes, yes, but there were Agatha Christie novels, Orwell’s “1984” and art books too.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s the 618-page tome released in 2017 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine and overseen by 14 professors.

From Los Angeles Times

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 Los Angeles Times

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 Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• magnum opus 
• novel 
• opus 
• publication 
• reference book 
• textbook 

When To Use

What 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 tomḗ, meaning “a cutting,” and tómos, “a cut, slice.”The Greek root tómos, 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 tómos is atom. What’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.