hom: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, colloquial, chiefly British
Quick answer
What does “hom” mean?
A common informal, chiefly British abbreviation for 'home'.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A common informal, chiefly British abbreviation for 'home'.
Used in informal contexts to refer to one's dwelling place, hometown, or base. Can also be used as a friendly term of address between close friends.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Widely understood but far more common in British English. In American English, 'home' is rarely clipped to 'hom' in the same way; 'crib' or 'pad' might be used for similar informal effect.
Connotations
British: Casual, friendly, working-class or youth connotations. American: May sound affected or like an attempt to mimic British speech.
Frequency
High frequency in specific British sociolects (e.g., London, Multicultural London English); very low frequency in general American English.
Grammar
How to Use “hom” in a Sentence
[Verb] + hom (e.g., 'I'm going hom')[Possessive] + hom (e.g., 'my hom')[Preposition] + hom (e.g., 'at hom')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hom” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I'm homing early tonight.
- He homed in on the problem.
American English
- The missile homed in on its target.
- She has a knack for homing in on the truth.
adverb
British English
- I'm going hom.
- Come hom with me.
American English
- Let's head home.
- I drove the car home.
adjective
British English
- It's a homely sort of place.
- They offer hom comforts.
American English
- She has a homely face.
- The hotel had a homelike atmosphere.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Used in casual conversation among friends and family: "I'll see you back hom later."
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hom”
- Writing 'hom' in formal contexts.
- Pronouncing it with a long 'o' (/hoʊm/) instead of the short vowel (/hɒm/ or /hɑːm/).
- Overusing it outside of a British informal context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is an informal, colloquial abbreviation of 'home', not a standard dictionary headword. It's primarily used in speech and very informal writing.
It is understood but sounds distinctly British. An American using it might be perceived as adopting British slang. Americans typically use the full form 'home' or other slang like 'crib'.
When capitalised, 'Hom' is often a term of address derived from 'homeboy' or 'homie', meaning a close friend from one's neighbourhood. The lowercase 'hom' refers to the place.
In British English, it is pronounced /hɒm/, rhyming with 'rom' or 'Tom'. In American English, if used, it would be pronounced /hɑːm/, rhyming with 'calm'.
A common informal, chiefly British abbreviation for 'home'.
Hom is usually informal, colloquial, chiefly british in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Home away from hom”
- “Home is where the heart is”
- “Make yourself at hom”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of dropping the silent 'e' from 'home' to make it sound more casual and quick to say, like 'brunch' from 'breakfast' and 'lunch'.
Conceptual Metaphor
HOME IS A CONTAINER (OF COMFORT/IDENTITY): "My hom" contains my life, my things, and my sense of self.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'hom' be MOST appropriate?