Thomas
Language: English
Part of speech: name
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈtɒm.əs/
ipa: /ˈtɑ.məs/
note: Indic
ipa: /ˈt̪ʰɔ.məs/
note: Indic
ipa: /ˈʈʰ-/
rhymes: -ɒməs
Forms: form: Thomases
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English Thomas, from Latin Thōmās m (as in the Vulgate), from Ancient Greek Θωμᾶς m (Thōmâs), the Biblical Greek transcription of Aramaic תאומא or תאמא (“twin”), the nickname of one of the Twelve Apostles.
In the gospel of John (11:16, 20:24), the Aramaic nickname is also translated into Greek, as δίδυμος m (dídumos). Used as a given name since the Middle Ages, e.g. Thomas the Presbyter (7th century), Thomas the Slav (8th century), Thomas of Bayeux (died 1100).
(infidel or doubter): In reference to the doubting Apostle.
Senses: examples: text: But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 20:24–25:
glosses: An Apostle, best remembered for doubting the resurrection of Jesus.
examples: text: "Good,—that's a whack. What's your name?" / "Becky Thatcher. What's yours? Oh, I know. It's Thomas Sawyer." / "That's the name they lick me by. I'm Tom when I'm good. You call me Tom, will you?"
ref: 1876, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter VI, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hartford, Conn.: The American Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 70:
text: - - - goodness we scarcely have a name for the baby yet now all of you must take a vote, all of you, but let's have a nice simple name like Thomas don't you think I hate elaborate names, do please all of you vote for Thomas..."
ref: 1941, Judith Kelly, Marriage is a Private Affair, Harper, published 1944, page 133:
text: In 2019, BfV President Thomas Haldenwang said members showed “clear evidence of an anti-immigration and particularly anti-Muslim attitude,” which is contrary to Germany’s democratic principles.
ref: 2023 May 24, Nadine Schmidt and Sophie Tanno, “Germany intensifies scrutiny of far-right AfD, labeling its youth wing ‘extremist’”, in CNN:
glosses: A male given name from Aramaic of biblical origin, popular since the 13th century.
examples: text: The reappearance of Dylan and Caitlin Thomas brought her the excitement again of literary gatherings and much uninhibited partying.²²³ For a woman of 41 the Thomases represented fun and an opportunity not to play second fiddle to a disapproving husband who was very clear as to what he wanted but not sensitive to her social needs.
ref: 2006, Chris Wrigley, A.J.P. Taylor: Radical Historian of Europe, London – New York: I.B. Tauris, →ISBN, page 182:
text: CBS, the BBC's US news partner, said that VOA employees were notified in an email by Crystal Thomas, the USAGM human resources director.
ref: 2025 March 16, Thomas Mackintosh & Merlyn Thomas, “Trump moves to close down Voice of America”, in BBC:
text: Born on a US military base, the son of a US citizen father serving in the Army, Jermaine Thomas never considered he might not be American.
ref: 2025 July 8, Zoe Sottile, “He was born to a US citizen soldier on an army base in Germany. Now he’s been deported to Jamaica, a country he’d never been to”, in CNN, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2025:
glosses: A common surname originating as a patronymic.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
An unincorporated community in Bureau County, Illinois.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
An unincorporated community in Daviess County, Indiana.
examples: text: Located in northeastern Custer County, Thomas is situated at the intersection of State Highways 33 and 47. Originally, Thomas was a trading point where William Thomas had a general store and served as the first postmaster of a post office designated on February 12, 1894.
ref: 2009, Linda D. Wilson, “Thomas”, in The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Oklahoma Historical Society, retrieved 13 Mar 2020:
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
A city in Custer County, Oklahoma.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
A ghost town in Linn County, Oregon.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
An unincorporated community in Hamlin County, South Dakota.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
An unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
A former community in King County, Washington.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
A minor city in Tucker County, West Virginia.
glosses: A number of places in the United States:
A number of townships in the United States, listed under Thomas Township.
Derived terms: word: doubting Thomas
word: Gilchrist-Thomas process
word: Saint Thomas
word: St. Thomas bean
word: St Thomas
word: St. Thomas
word: Thomas Chapel
word: Thomas County
word: Thomas-Gilchrist process
word: Thomas Jefferson
word: Thomas meal
word: Thomas precession
word: Thomas rotation
word: Thomas test
word: Thomaston
word: Thomastown
word: Thomasville
word: Thos.
word: Tom
english: pet forms
translation: pet forms
word: Tommy
word: Uncle Thomas
Related terms: sense: female given names
word: Tamsin
sense: female given names
word: Thomasina
word: MacTavish
word: McCavish
word: McComb
word: McCombe
word: McCombie
word: McComie
word: McComish
word: McOmie
word: McOmish
word: McTavish
word: Tamblin
word: Tambling
word: Tamblyn
word: Tamlin
word: Tamlyn
word: Tamplin
word: Thom
word: Thomason
word: Thomasson
word: Thomerson
word: Thomlinson
word: Thompsett
word: Thompson
word: Thomsett
word: Thomson
word: Tom
word: Tomalin
word: Tomas
word: Tomblin
word: Tombling
word: Tombs
word: Tomes
word: Tomkies
word: Tomkin
word: Tomkins
word: Tomkinson
word: Tomkiss
word: Tomkys
word: Tomlin
word: Tomlins
word: Tomlinson
word: Tommis
word: Tompkin
word: Tompkins
word: Tompkinson
word: Tompsett
word: Tompson
word: Toms
word: Tomsett
word: Tomson
word: Tonkin
word: Tonks
word: Toombes
word: Toombs
word: Townson