Drôme

¹

[ drohm ]

noun

1. a department in SE France. 2,533 sq. mi. (6,560 sq. km). : Valence.

-drome

²

1. a combining form meaning “running,” “course,” “racecourse” ( hippodrome ); on this model used to form words referring to other large structures ( airdrome ).

Drôme

¹

/ drom /

noun

1. a department of SE France, in Rhône-Alpes region. Capital: Valence. Pop: 452 652 (2003 est. Area: 6561 sq km (2559 sq miles)

-drome

²

combining form

1. a course, racecourse

   hippodrome

2. a large place for a special purpose

   aerodrome

Word History and Origins

Origin of Drôme¹

Combining form of Greek drómos dromos

Word History and Origins

Origin of Drôme¹

via Latin from Greek dromos race, course

Example Sentences

On a visit to Crépol, a village of around 500 people in the Drôme area of southeastern France. government spokesman Olivier Véran made an appeal to people "not to answer violence with violence" and warned that society was at risk of "tipping over".

From BBC

In France, four southern regions - the Rhone, Drome, Ardeche and Haute-Loire - were placed under red alert, the country's most serious warning.

From Reuters

The departments targeted by the alert, which allows local authorities to call off events and close public facilities if needed, are the Rhone, Drome, Ardeche and Haute-Loire, Meteo France said.

From Reuters

The departments that will be targeted by the alert are the Rhone, Drome, Ardeche and Haute-Loire, Environment Minister Christophe Bechu told reporters.

From Reuters

Temperatures are expected to rise to between 40 and 42 Celsius on Tuesday afternoon in the southern departments of Ardeche, Drome, Vaucluse and Gard, Meteo France said.

From Reuters

Words That Use -drome

What does -drome mean?

The combining form -drome is used like a suffix meaning “running,” “course,” or “racecourse.” It is occasionally used in technical terms.

The form -drome comes from Greek drómos, meaning “a running,” “course,” or “place for running.”

What are variants of -drome?

In adjectives that correspond to nouns that end in -drome, the form becomes -dromous, as in heterodromous.

Examples of -drome

One example of a technical term that uses the form -drome is motordome, “a rounded course or track for automobile and motorcycle races.”

The motor- part of the word refers to motor-powered vehicles, either automobiles or motorcycles. As we know, the -drome portion of the word means “racecourse.” Motordrome literally translates to “automobile or motorcycle racecourse.”

What are some words that use the combining form -drome?

• airdrome
• hippodrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in Greek)
• palindrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in Greek)
• seadrome
• syndrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in Greek)
• velodrome (using the equivalent form of -drome in French)

What are some other forms that -drome may be commonly confused with?

• -derm
• -dom
• -rama

Break it down!

The combining form hippo- means “horse.” With this in mind, what does hippodrome mean?