tombe: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary
Quick answer
What does “tombe” mean?
A large vault, typically an underground chamber, for burying the dead.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large vault, typically an underground chamber, for burying the dead; a grave, especially one built of stone or brick.
Anything that serves as a place of burial or a repository for the dead; by extension, something that is gloomy, silent, or resembles a burial place in atmosphere. Figuratively, it can refer to the human body as the repository of the soul, or a place of confinement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties; evokes history, archaeology, and solemnity.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and formal in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “tombe” in a Sentence
of + NOUN (tomb of Tutankhamun)in + NOUN (buried in a tomb)VERB + tomb (discover a tomb, rob a tomb)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tombe” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- They discovered a mediaeval tomb beneath the cathedral.
- The tomb was inscribed with ancient hieroglyphs.
American English
- The tour visited the tomb of President Grant.
- The tomb raiders were after priceless artifacts.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, archaeological, and literary contexts.
Everyday
Rare; replaced by 'grave' in casual conversation.
Technical
Specific term in archaeology and architecture.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tombe”
- Mispronouncing as /tɒm/ or /təʊm/.
- Using it interchangeably with 'grave' in casual contexts where 'grave' is more natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'grave' is a general term for any burial place, often a simple hole in the ground. A 'tomb' is a specific, built structure (often above or below ground) to house the dead, typically made of stone and implying more permanence and monumentality.
No. It is a formal, literary, or technical word. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say 'grave' or specific terms like 'family plot'.
Very rarely and archaically (e.g., 'He was tombed in the chapel'). In modern English, it is almost exclusively a noun. The verb 'entomb' is more common.
It means extremely or eerily quiet, drawing a comparison to the profound silence expected inside a sealed burial chamber.
A large vault, typically an underground chamber, for burying the dead.
Tombe is usually formal, literary in register.
Tombe: in British English it is pronounced /tuːm/, and in American English it is pronounced /tuːm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “silent as the tomb (extremely quiet)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TOOMB (rhymes with 'room') – a room for the dead.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A TOMB FOR THE SOUL; SILENCE IS THE TOMB (of sound).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely to be described as a 'tomb'?