rom
rom Lexical Profile
rom Game Scores & Validity
• noun
(usually capitalized as ROM) Read-only memory; a type of non-volatile computer storage containing data or instructions that can be read but not easily modified or erased.
"The device's firmware is stored permanently on a ROM chip inside the main circuit board."
(usually capitalized as ROM) A digital computer file containing a copy of the data from a read-only memory chip, especially from a video game cartridge or arcade machine.
"Enthusiasts use emulator software to play classic video game ROMs on modern computers."
(capitalized as Rom; plural Roma) A member of the Romani people, specifically a Romani man.
"As a proud Rom, he dedicated his career to preserving traditional Romani music and folklore."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized as 'ROM', it is an acronym for 'read-only memory' in computing; when capitalized as 'Rom' (plural 'Roma'), it refers to a member of the Romani people.
• Rhymes for rom
Word Origin & Etymology
In its ethnic sense, borrowed from Romani 'rom', meaning 'man' or 'husband', ultimately derived from Sanskrit 'ḍoma', referring to a member of a low-caste group of traveling musicians and dancers. In computing, it is a 20th-century acronym for 'read-only memory'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.