Definition:

1. A book, particularly one that is physically large and/or heavy, that contains scholarly information.
2. A volume forming part of a larger collection of works. (e.g., An encyclopedia)

Etymology: The Latin tomus comes from the Greek tomos, meaning a “selection” or “roll of papyrus.” The Greek word tomos comes from the verb temnein, which means “to cut.” When papyrus was still in use, the longest scrolls were at times divided into smaller sections. In the 16th century, when the word tome first came into common use, it was meant to refer to a book that was part of a multivolume work. Now, the word tome most often refers to a large book containing academic knowledge. (Merriam-Webster)

In a Sentence

The Codex Gigas, a 13th-century tome also known as the Devil’s Bible, is the largest medieval manuscript ever created.

The tome our professor assigned for philosophy class is going to be the death of us. Not only is it huge, but it is also written in early modern English, making it an arduous read.

As he was handed his copy of Gray’s Anatomy, the weight of the tome took him by surprise.