tome
UK: təʊm | US: toʊm
n. a large, heavy scholarly book, especially one volume of a multi-volume work
n. (archaic) a single book or volume, often implying weighty content
tome = tom<cut, section (from Greek "tomos")> + e<silent suffix>
- tom: Derived from Greek tomos ("a cutting, section"), related to temnein ("to cut"). Reflects the idea of a book as a "section" of knowledge or a larger work.
- e: A silent suffix in English, preserving the original Greek spelling without adding meaning.
Etymology Origin:
The word tome traces back to Greek tomos, which originally referred to a slice or section (e.g., of a scroll or manuscript). Over time, it came to denote a single volume, especially a substantial one, as if "cut" from a larger body of work. The term entered English via Latin tomus, retaining its scholarly connotation.
The library’s rare collection includes a 16th-century tome on alchemy.
She lugged the heavy tome to her desk for her research project.
His latest work is a tome spanning over a thousand pages.
The professor assigned a tome on medieval history as required reading.
Ancient scholars often wrote multi-volume tomes on philosophy and science.