-tome

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

-tome combining_form:in_noun:countable

1. indicating an instrument for cutting: osteotome

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

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

tome /toʊm/   n. [countable]

1. a book, esp. a heavy or learned book, or one forming part of a series:
   browsing through the dusty tomes.

See -tom-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

tome (tōm),  n. 

1. a book, esp. a very heavy, large, or learned book.
2. a volume forming a part of a larger work.

• Greek tómos slice, piece, roll of paper, book, akin to témnein to cut
• Latin tomus
• French
• 1510–20

-tome, 

1. a combining form with the meanings "cutting instrument'' (microtome;
   osteotome), "segment, somite'' (sclerotome), used in the formation of compound words. Cf. tomo-, -tomous, -tomy.

• combining form representing Greek tomé̄ a cutting; tómos a cut, slice; -tomon (neuter), -tomos (masculine) -cutting (adjective, adjectival)