tom
/tɑm/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.83 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The male of the domesticated cat, especially if not neutered.
Example Sentences
- "Toms 90p a pound"
- "“I'd like sausage, eggs, bacon, toms, mushies, beans – oh, and some fried bread,” said Mike."
- "Poor Tom's a-cold."
- ""Good,—that's a whack. What's your name?" "Becky Thatcher. What's yours? Oh, I know. It's Thomas Sawyer." "That's the name they lick me by. I'm Tom when I'm good. You call me Tom, will you?""
- "What I'm worrying about is what Tom says when he starts talking." "Uncle Tom?" "I wish there was something else you could call him except 'Uncle Tom'," said Aunt Dahlia a little testily. "Every time you do it, I expect to see him turn black and start playing the banjo.""
- ""We're not sure - we were expecting a girl for some reason. But we're thinking of something simple like Tom." "Thomas?" "No, just Tom.""
Etymology
Etymology tree Aramaic תאמא Aramaic תאומאbor. Ancient Greek Θωμᾶς (Thōmâs)bor. Latin Thōmāsbor. Middle English Thomas Middle English Thomme English Tom English tom From generic use of the proper name Tom.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: Thomme
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /tɑm/
- British English: /tɒm/
Usage
- British usage
- Dated
- Slang
- American usage
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Derogatory
- Intransitive verb