What does drome mean?
Drome is an uncommon English noun denoting a course or track for racing, and by extension — especially in older or informal British usage — an airfield, as a shortened form of 'aerodrome'. Its real life is as a combining element: from Greek 'dromos', meaning a running or racecourse, it forms words such as 'hippodrome' (chariot racetrack), 'velodrome' (cycling arena), 'aerodrome' (airfield), 'syndrome' (literally a 'running together' of symptoms), 'palindrome' (a word that 'runs back' on itself), and 'prodrome'. Because of this heritage, 'drome' carries an athletic, kinetic flavour: it evokes speed, tracks, and movement. Standalone uses today are largely historical, technical, or playful, so writers should treat 'drome' primarily as a window into one of Greek's most productive word-building roots rather than as a common everyday noun.
A racecourse or running track.
"Runners circled the drome twice before the final sprint."
Mostly encountered in historical or classical contexts describing Greek and Roman racing grounds.
Informal or archaic shortening of 'aerodrome': an airfield or flying ground.
"The squadron was stationed at a coastal drome during the war."
Chiefly British; the full word 'aerodrome' or 'airfield' is preferred in modern usage.
The plural follows standard English formation by adding -s.
"Several disused dromes dot the eastern countryside."
Hidden inside 'aerodrome', 'hippodrome' and 'syndrome' is one tiny Greek root meaning 'to run' — 'drome' is that runner stripped bare.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of drome
'Drome' derives ultimately from the ancient Greek 'dromos', meaning 'a running, racecourse, or course', related to the verb 'dramein', 'to run'. English adopted it directly for racecourses and later clipped it from 'aerodrome' as a casual term for an airfield. The same Greek root powers many familiar borrowings, including 'dromedary', 'syndrome', 'palindrome', and 'prodrome', making '-drome' one of the most recognisable combining forms in scientific and sporting vocabulary.
How drome is actually used
'Drome' is rare on its own in modern English; readers are far more likely to meet it as the suffix '-drome' in established compounds. When used alone, it is chiefly historical or informal British shorthand for an aerodrome.
Easily confused with drome
A 'dram' is a small measure of liquid or a unit of weight, whereas 'drome' refers to a racing course or, informally, an airfield.