Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

transom

/ˈtɹæn.səm/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.44 in modern English

Syllables: tran-som
IPA: /ˈtɹæn.səm/

9

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A crosspiece over a door; a lintel.

noun

A horizontal glazing bar in a window.

noun

A transom window.

noun

Any of several transverse structural members in a ship, especially at the stern; a thwart.

noun

The flat or nearly flat stern of a boat or ship.

noun

The horizontal beam on a cross or gallows.

noun

Items that have arrived over the transom.

Example Sentences

"We are overwhelmed with transom resumes."
"They only met the deadline by working most of the night and making a transom filing."

Etymology

From Middle English traunsom; probably an alteration of Latin trānstrum (“crossbeam”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: *terh₂-, traunsom, trānstrum

Inflected Forms

transoms (plural)

Derived Forms

transomed transomless

Phrases

over the transom transom window a hinged glassed frame above such a crossbar

Frequently Paired Words

fortochka

Synonyms

traverse transom window fanlight

Rhymes With

handsome ransom ransome sansom hansom unhandsome

Questions

How do you pronounce transom?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtɹæn.səm/.
What does transom mean?: A crosspiece over a door; a lintel.
Where does transom come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce transom

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “transom”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈtɹæn.səm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “transom”.
Repeat and practice — Say “transom” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.