Book vs. Tome — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 1, 2024
A book is a written or printed work, while a tome refers to a large or scholarly book, often part of a series.
Difference Between Book and Tome
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Books are publications that can cover a wide range of formats, genres, and sizes. They serve various purposes, including entertainment, education, and information dissemination. A book can be as simple as a short story collection or as complex as an encyclopedic volume. Tomes, on the other hand, are specifically recognized for their considerable size or scholarly nature. The term implies a comprehensive treatment of a subject, often suggesting that the book is part of a larger series or is significant in its academic or literary scope.
Books are versatile in their audience, appealing to readers of all ages and interests. They can range from fiction to non-fiction, encompassing genres such as romance, mystery, science fiction, and history. Tomes are typically targeted at a more specialized audience, such as academics, researchers, or enthusiasts of a particular field. Their content is usually more dense and detailed, focusing on delivering in-depth knowledge on their subject matter.
The physical size of a book can vary greatly, with some being pocket-sized and portable, while others are larger and more unwieldy. The term "book" itself does not inherently convey any particular size or heft. Conversely, the use of "tome" often suggests a physical heft and substantiality. A tome is expected to be voluminous, not just in the amount of information it contains but also in its physical dimensions, making it less portable than the average book.
In a library or bookstore, books are categorized and shelved according to genre, author, or subject matter, catering to a broad range of interests and reading levels. Tomes, due to their specialized nature, might be found in specific sections dedicated to academic or professional resources, or in series that collectively cover a comprehensive topic area.
Comparison Chart
Definition
A written or printed work consisting of pages bound together.
A large, scholarly book, often part of a series or significant in its field.
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Size
Can vary widely, from small to large.
Typically large or voluminous, both in page count and physical dimensions.
Audience
Broad, catering to all ages and interests.
More specialized, aimed at academics, researchers, or enthusiasts.
Content
Ranges from fiction to non-fiction across all genres.
Dense, detailed, and often scholarly, focusing on in-depth knowledge.
Portability
Generally portable, depending on size.
Less portable due to its substantial size and heft.
Compare with Definitions
Book
A set of printed or written pages bound together within covers.
She bought a book on gardening to start her own garden.
Tome
A book regarded as authoritative in a particular field.
The medical tome is considered the definitive guide for cardiac surgeons.
Book
A work of fiction or non-fiction available in printed or electronic form.
The library offers a wide selection of digital books for download.
Tome
Used figuratively to describe any work that is exhaustive on a subject.
His thesis was a tome in its own right, covering all aspects of quantum mechanics.
Book
A creative work that encompasses a story, narrative, or collection of information.
His latest book explores the history of the Roman Empire.
Tome
A large and scholarly book, often dense with information.
The professor referenced an ancient tome on medieval history for his lecture.
Book
A division of a literary work, especially one of the larger divisions.
The third book of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is her favorite.
Tome
A volume forming part of a larger work or series.
She spent the summer reading a tome from a series on the world’s civilizations.
Book
A medium for recording information in the form of writing or images.
The artist keeps a sketch book for all her drawings and ideas.
Tome
A book of substantial size and weight, making it physically imposing.
The leather-bound tome took up an entire shelf in the library.
Book
A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical arrangement is codex (plural, codices).
Tome
A book, especially a large, heavy, scholarly one
A weighty tome
Book
A written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers
A book of selected poems
Tome
One of the books in a work of several volumes.
Book
A bound set of blank sheets for writing in
An accounts book
Tome
A book, especially a large or scholarly one.
Book
A set of tickets, stamps, matches, samples of cloth, etc., bound together
A pattern book
Tome
One in a series of volumes.
Book
Reserve (accommodation, a place, etc.); buy (a ticket) in advance
Book early to avoid disappointment
I have booked a table at the Swan
Tome
A large or scholarly book.
The professor pulled a dusty old tome from the bookshelf.
Book
Make an official note of the personal details of (a person who has broken a law or rule)
The cop booked me and took me down to the station
Tome
As many writings as are bound in a volume, forming part of a larger work; a book; - usually applied to a ponderous volume.
Tomes of fable and of dream.
A more childish expedient than that to which he now resorted is not to be found in all the tomes of the casuists.
Book
Leave suddenly
They just ate your pizza and drank your soda and booked
Tome
A (usually) large and scholarly book
Book
A set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers.
Book
An e-book or other electronic resource structured like a book.
Book
A printed or written literary work
Did you ever finish writing that book?.
Book
A main division of a larger printed or written work
A book of the Old Testament.
Book
A volume in which financial or business transactions are recorded.
Book
Books Financial or business records considered as a group
Checked the expenditures on the books.
Book
A libretto.
Book
The script of a play.
Book
The Bible.
Book
The Koran.
Book
A set of prescribed standards or rules on which decisions are based
Runs the company by the book.
Book
Something regarded as a source of knowledge or understanding.
Book
The total amount of experience, knowledge, understanding, and skill that can be used in solving a problem or performing a task
We used every trick in the book to finish the project on schedule.
Book
(Informal) Factual information, especially of a private nature
What's the book on him?.
Book
A pack of like or similar items bound together
A book of matches.
Book
A record of bets placed on a race.
Book
(Games) The number of card tricks needed before any tricks can have scoring value, as the first six tricks taken by the declaring side in bridge.
Book
To arrange for or purchase (tickets or lodgings, for example) in advance; reserve.
Book
To arrange a reservation, as for a hotel room, for (someone)
Book me into the best hotel in town.
Book
To hire or engage
Booked a band for Saturday night.
Book
To list or register in a book
Booked the revenue from last month's sales.
Book
To list or record appointments or engagements in
A calendar that was booked solid on Tuesday.
Book
To record information about (a suspected offender) after arrest in preparation for arraignment, usually including a criminal history search, fingerprinting, and photographing.
Book
(Sports) To record the flagrant fouls of (a player) for possible disciplinary action, as in soccer.
Book
To designate a time for; schedule
Let's book a meeting for next month.
Book
To be hired for or engaged in
The actor has booked his next movie with that director.
Book
To make a reservation
Book early if you want good seats.
Book
(Informal) To move or travel rapidly
We booked along at a nice clip.
Book
Of or relating to knowledge learned from books rather than actual experience
Has book smarts but not street smarts.
Book
Appearing in a company's financial records
Book profits.
Book
A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc.
She opened the book to page 37 and began to read aloud.
He was frustrated because he couldn't find anything about dinosaurs in the book.
Book
A long work fit for publication, typically prose, such as a novel or textbook, and typically published as such a bound collection of sheets, but now sometimes electronically as an e-book.
I have three copies of his first book.
Book
A major division of a long work.
Genesis is the first book of the Bible.
Many readers find the first book of A Tale of Two Cities to be confusing.
Book
(gambling) A record of betting (from the use of a notebook to record what each person has bet).
I'm running a book on who is going to win the race.
Book
(informal) A bookmaker (a person who takes bets on sporting events and similar); bookie; turf accountant.
Book
A convenient collection, in a form resembling a book, of small paper items for individual use.
A book of stamps
A book of raffle tickets
Book
(theatre) The script of a musical or opera.
Book
Records of the accounts of a business.
Book
A book award, a recognition for receiving the highest grade in a class (traditionally an actual book, but recently more likely a letter or certificate acknowledging the achievement).
Book
(whist) Six tricks taken by one side.
Book
(poker slang) Four of a kind.
Book
(sports) A document, held by the referee, of the incidents happened in the game.
Book
A list of all players who have been booked (received a warning) in a game.
Book
(cartomancy) The twenty-sixth Lenormand card.
Book
(figurative) Any source of instruction.
Book
(with "the") The accumulated body of knowledge passed down among black pimps.
Book
A portfolio of one's previous work in the industry.
Book
(transitive) To reserve (something) for future use.
I want to book a hotel room for tomorrow night.
I can book tickets for the concert next week.
Book
(transitive) To write down, to register or record in a book or as in a book.
They booked that message from the hill
Book
(transitive) To add a name to the list of people who are participating in something.
I booked a flight to New York.
Book
To record the name and other details of a suspected offender and the offence for later judicial action.
The police booked him for driving too fast.
Book
(sports) To issue a caution to, usually a yellow card, or a red card if a yellow card has already been issued.
Book
To travel very fast.
He was really booking, until he passed the speed trap.
Book
To record bets as bookmaker.
Book
To receive the highest grade in a class.
The top three students had a bet on which one was going to book their intellectual property class.
Book
To leave.
He was here earlier, but he booked.
Book
A collection of sheets of paper, or similar material, blank, written, or printed, bound together; commonly, many folded and bound sheets containing continuous printing or writing.
Book
A part or subdivision of a treatise or literary work; as, the tenth book of "Paradise Lost."
Book
A volume or collection of sheets in which accounts are kept; a register of debts and credits, receipts and expenditures, etc.; - often used in the plural; as, they got a subpoena to examine our books.
Book
Six tricks taken by one side, in the game of bridge or whist, being the minimum number of tricks that must be taken before any additional tricks are counted as part of the score for that hand; in certain other games, two or more corresponding cards, forming a set.
Book
A written version of a play or other dramatic composition; - used in preparing for a performance.
Book
A set of paper objects (tickets, stamps, matches, checks etc.) bound together by one edge, like a book; as, he bought a book of stamps.
Book
A book or list, actual or hypothetical, containing records of the best performances in some endeavor; a recordbook; - used in the phrase one for the book or one for the books.
Book
The set of facts about an athlete's performance, such as typical performance or playing habits or methods, that are accumulated by potential opponents as an aid in deciding how best to compete against that athlete; as, the book on Ted Williams suggests pitching to him low and outside.
Book
Same as book value.
Book
The list of current buy and sell orders maintained by a stock market specialist.
Book
The purchase orders still outstanding and unfilled on a company's ledger; as, book to bill ratio.
Book
To enter, write, or register in a book or list.
Let it be booked with the rest of this day's deeds.
Book
To enter the name of (any one) in a book for the purpose of securing a passage, conveyance, or seat; to reserve{2}; also, to make an arrangement for a reservation; as, to be booked for Southampton; to book a seat in a theater; to book a reservation at a restaurant.
Book
To mark out for; to destine or assign for; as, he is booked for the valedictory.
Here I am booked for three days more in Paris.
Book
To make an official record of a charge against (a suspect in a crime); - performed by police.
Book
A written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together);
I am reading a good book on economics
Book
Physical objects consisting of a number of pages bound together;
He used a large book as a doorstop
Book
A record in which commercial accounts are recorded;
They got a subpoena to examine our books
Book
A number of sheets (ticket or stamps etc.) bound together on one edge;
He bought a book of stamps
Book
A compilation of the known facts regarding something or someone;
Al Smith used to say, `Let's look at the record'
His name is in all the recordbooks
Book
A major division of a long written composition;
The book of Isaiah
Book
A written version of a play or other dramatic composition; used in preparing for a performance
Book
A collection of rules or prescribed standards on the basis of which decisions are made;
They run things by the book around here
Book
The sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina
Book
The sacred writings of the Christian religions;
He went to carry the Word to the heathen
Book
Record a charge in a police register;
The policeman booked her when she tried to solicit a man
Book
Arrange for and reserve (something for someone else) in advance;
Reserve me a seat on a flight
The agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family
Please hold a table at Maxim's
Book
Engage for a performance;
Her agent had booked her for several concerts in Tokyo
Book
Register in a hotel booker
Common Curiosities
Can any book become a tome?
Not all books can become tomes; the designation of "tome" is reserved for works that are voluminous and scholarly.
How do you use the term "tome" correctly?
Use "tome" to refer to a book that is notably large, dense, and authoritative, especially in an academic or scholarly context.
Why would someone choose a tome over a shorter book?
Individuals might choose a tome for comprehensive coverage of a topic, in-depth study, or scholarly research, where a shorter book might only provide an overview.
What qualifies a book as a tome?
A book qualifies as a tome primarily due to its large size, substantial content, and scholarly nature.
What is the significance of tomes in academic fields?
Tomes are significant in academic fields as they often represent comprehensive resources on specific subjects, serving as key texts for study and research.
Can novels be considered tomes?
Novels can be considered tomes if they are particularly lengthy and substantial, although the term is more commonly associated with non-fiction works.
How has the concept of the tome evolved with digital books?
With digital books, the concept of a "tome" as physically large doesn't apply, but it may still refer to the comprehensive and authoritative nature of the content.
Are all scholarly books considered tomes?
Not all scholarly books are considered tomes; the book must also be large and physically substantial.
How do publishers decide to publish a book as a tome?
Publishers may decide based on the book’s scope, expected audience, and whether its content warrants detailed exploration, making it suitable for publication as a tome.
Is a tome always part of a series?
While tomes are often part of a series, this is not always the case. A single, standalone work can also be considered a tome if it meets the criteria of size and depth of content.
Is it more challenging to read a tome than a regular book?
Reading a tome may be more challenging due to its length and the density of its content, requiring more time and concentration.
How do libraries categorize tomes?
Libraries categorize tomes similarly to other books, by subject or author, but may also consider their size and scholarly nature for special placement.
What impact do tomes have on their field of study?
Tomes can have a significant impact by providing comprehensive resources, advancing knowledge, and often becoming foundational texts in their field.
What makes a tome authoritative?
A tome is considered authoritative due to the depth and breadth of information it covers, often written by experts or scholars in the field.
Do tomes have a specific target audience?
Tomes typically target an audience looking for detailed information or in-depth study, such as academics, researchers, and enthusiasts.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
