Rome

Alternative forms

• (archaic) Rom, Roome, Room, Rhoome, Romme, Rowme, Roym, Rum
• (uncommon) Roma

Etymology

From Middle English and late Old English Rome, from Old English Rōm, Rūm, from Proto-Germanic *Rūmō and influenced by Late Latin Rōma ("Rome", "Constantinople"), from Classical Latin Rōma ("Rome"). In Roman mythology, the name was said to derive from Romulus, one of the founders of the city and its first king.

The name appears in a wide range of forms in Middle English, including Rom, Room, Roome, and Rombe as well as Rome; by early modern English, it appeared as Rome, Room, and Roome, with the spelling Rome occurring in Shakespeare and common from the early 18th century on. The final spelling was influenced by Norman, Old French, Anglo-Norman, and Middle French Rome.^[1]

Pronunciation

• (UK), enPR: rōm, IPA^(key): /ɹəʊm/, (archaic, dialectal) IPA^(key): /ɹum/
• (US), enPR: rōm, IPA^(key): /ɹoʊm/
• Rhymes: -əʊm
• Homophones: roam, Rom

Proper noun

Rome

1. A city on the Tiber River on the Italian peninsula, the capital of a former empire and of the modern region of Lazio and nation of Italy.
   • c. 1368, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Legend of Good Women, 1869:

     Ne never was ther kyng in Rome tovn Syn thilke day.

   • c. 1380, Geoffrey Chaucer translating Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy, I iv 441:

     Now I am remewed fro þe Citee of rome almost fyue-hundreþ þousand pas.

   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar, I ii 157:

     When could they say (till now) that talk'd of Rome,
     That her wide Walles incompast but one man?
     Now is it Rome indeed, and Roome enough
     When there is in it but one onely man.

   • 1866 December 8, 'Filius Ecclesiæ', Notes & Queries, "Rome:Room", 456 1:

     Within the last thirty weeks I have heard the word Rome pronounced Room by several old-fashioned people in the north of Ireland, some of my own relations among the number. On remonstrating with one of these, she said, "It was always Room when I was at school (say about 1830), and I am too old to change it now."

2. Ancient Rome; the former Roman Empire; Roman civilization.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus, I i 82:

     These that suruiue, let Rome reward with loue.

   • 1711, Alexander Pope, "An Essay on Criticism", 39:

     Learning and Rome alike in Empire grew,
     And Arts still follow'd where her Eagles flew;
     From the same Foes [viz., Tyranny and Superstition], at last, both felt their Doom,
     And the same Age saw Learning fall, and Rome.

   • 1820, Lord Byron, Marino Faliero, V i:

     A wife's dishonour unking'd Rome for ever.

3. The Holy See, the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, particularly prior to the establishment of the Vatican City in the 19th century.
   • 1537 January 26, T. Starkey, letter:

     The wych you perauenture wyl impute to thys defectyon from Rome.

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, The firſt Part of Henry the Sixt, III ii:

     Winch. Rome shall remedie this
     Warw. Roame thither then.

4. The Church of Rome, the Roman Catholic Church generally.
   • c. 1596, William Shakespeare, The life and death of King Iohn, V ii 70:

     King Iohn hath reconcil'd Himselfe to Rome.

See also

• Roma
• Romania
• romance, romantic
• Romulan

References

Anagrams

• -more, Mero, More, Omer, Orem, Orme, erom, mero, mero-, more, omer

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈroː.mə/

• Audio

  (file)

Proper noun

Rome n

1. Rome

Anagrams

• moer, more, roem

Etymology

From Old French Rome, from Latin Rōma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁɔm/
• Homophones: rhum, ROM

Proper noun

Rome f

1. Rome (province)
2. Rome (city)

Anagrams

• more, More
• orme

Proper noun

Rome f

1. plural of Roma

   le due Rome, the two Romes

Anagrams

• mero
• more
• orme
• remo, Remo, remò

Alternative forms

• Roome, Rombe, Rume, Room, Rom

Etymology

From Old English Rome, from Latin Rōma.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈroːm(ə)/, /ˈrɔːm(ə)/
• Rhymes: -oːm(ə), -ɔːm(ə)

Proper noun

Rome

1. Rome (the capital of the Papacy and the Roman Empire)
2. The Roman Empire.

Proper noun

Rome

1. Rome
   • c. 1050, Orosius, Hist., II iv 44:

     Ond nu ure cristne Roma bespricð þæt hiere wealles for ealdunge brosnien, nales na for þæm þe hio mid forheriunge swa gebismrad wære swa Babylonia wæs. Ac heo for hiere cristendome nugiet is gescild.

   • c. 1150, The Blickling Homilies, 191:

     Ic wille gangan to Rome.

Alternative forms

• Rume (Anglo-Norman)
• Rumme (Anglo-Norman)

Etymology

From Latin Rōma.

Proper noun

Rome

1. Rome (city)