tom: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Informal, familiar
Quick answer
What does “tom” mean?
A male cat.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A male cat.
Also used as a familiar form of the male given name Thomas; sometimes used generically to refer to any male animal (e.g., tom turkey).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. The compound 'tomcat' is slightly more prevalent in American English.
Connotations
Neutral for the animal. As a name, 'Tom' is common and informal in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties for the animal reference. As a name, it is very frequent.
Grammar
How to Use “tom” in a Sentence
[be] a tom[call] it Tom[name] him TomVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tom” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No standard verb use)
American English
- (No standard verb use)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb use)
American English
- (No standard adverb use)
adjective
British English
- We took the tom cat to the vet.
- It's a tom turkey.
American English
- That's a tomcat, not a queen.
- He hunts for tom turkeys.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in company names (e.g., 'Tom's Hardware').
Academic
Rare, except in literary or historical contexts (e.g., 'Uncle Tom's Cabin').
Everyday
Common for referring to male cats and as a familiar name.
Technical
Used in veterinary or zoological contexts to specify sex of a cat.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tom”
- Using 'tom' for a female cat.
- Capitalisation error: 'tom' for the animal, 'Tom' for the name.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes. It can be used for other male animals (e.g., turkey) but this is less common and usually in compound form.
They are synonyms for a male cat. 'Tomcat' is the more formal, single-word compound.
No. When capitalised, it is a name. When lower-case ('tom'), it refers to the animal.
No. It is a derogatory term with a specific historical and racial context. It should be used with extreme caution, if at all.
A male cat.
Tom is usually informal, familiar in register.
Tom: in British English it is pronounced /tɒm/, and in American English it is pronounced /tɑːm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Tom, Dick, and Harry (any ordinary person)”
- “peeping Tom (a voyeur)”
- “Uncle Tom (derogatory term for a Black person perceived as overly subservient)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Tom' the cat from 'Tom and Jerry' – a famous male cartoon cat.
Conceptual Metaphor
MALE IS TOM (extended to other animals: tom-turkey).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a correct use of 'tom'?