What does pome mean?
A pome is a rare word with two established senses. In its literary sense, it means a poem and is chiefly associated with archaic, poetic, or elevated language; it can be used in phrases such as an ancient pome or a bard's pome. In specialist botany and agriculture, a pome is a fruit whose fleshy, edible portion surrounds the seeds, with apples and pears being familiar examples. The word is therefore more useful for recognizing historical literature or technical descriptions than for ordinary modern conversation. Its unusual dual meaning also makes it memorable: a pome may be a work of verse or the fruit of an orchard. Modern speakers normally use poem for the first sense and pome fruit or the specific name of the fruit for the second.
nounIn literary or archaic usage, a poem. In specialized botanical usage, a fruit such as an apple or pear whose fleshy part surrounds the seeds.
- A poem, especially in archaic or poetic usage.
- A fruit with a fleshy edible portion surrounding its seeds, such as an apple or pear.
"The bard recited a pome before the gathered company."
"Her pome moved the audience more deeply than any formal address."
"The orchard was planted mainly with pomes suited to cool climates."
The regular plural applies to both the literary and botanical senses.
"The editor selected several early pomes for the anthology, while the nursery specialized in disease-resistant pomes."
One rare word can mean both a poem and an apple-like fruit.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pome come from?
The literary sense comes through Old French from Latin poēma, a borrowing of Greek poiēma, meaning a poem or something composed. The specialized fruit sense reflects Latin pomum, meaning apple, which also underlies the field of pomology. Related vocabulary includes poem, poet, and poetry on the literary side, and pomology, pomaceous, and pomegranate on the fruit side.
How pome is actually used
The literary sense is now uncommon and usually carries an elevated or archaic tone. The botanical sense is specialized, chiefly in pomology, horticulture, and agricultural classification.