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  • prom
    prom
    noun
    a formal dance, especially one held by a high school or college class at the end of an academic year.
  • PROM
    PROM
    noun
    a memory chip whose contents can be programmed by a user or manufacturer for a specific purpose.
  • prom.
    prom.
    abbreviation
    promontory.
Synonyms

prom

1 American  
[prom] / prɒm /

noun

  1. a formal dance, especially one held by a high school or college class at the end of an academic year.


PROM 2 American  
[prom] / prɒm /

noun

Computers.
  1. a memory chip whose contents can be programmed by a user or manufacturer for a specific purpose.


prom. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. promontory.


prom 1 British  
/ prɒm /

noun

  1. short for promenade promenade concert

  2. informal short for promenade

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

PROM 2 British  
/ prɒm /

acronym

  1. programmable read only memory

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of prom1

1890–95, short for promenade

Origin of PROM2

p(rogrammable) r(ead)-o(nly) m(emory)

Explanation

A prom is a formal dance at the end of a school year. For many American high schools, the senior prom is a big deal. Kids get dressed up and then get embarrassed by parents who take too many photos. Students going to a prom will sometimes rent limousines to get there, and dress in fancy gowns and tuxedos. The prom itself is generally a much fancier version of a school dance, often held in a hotel or a gussied-up school gymnasium. The word dates from the late nineteenth century, an American English shortening of promenade, which means "to stroll," but also "to dance in couples with joined hands."

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Vocabulary lists containing prom

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One order was for six dresses for a quinceañera and the rest for prom and a wedding.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

His announcement came as prom season was underway.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

A videographer captured Moore throwing $20 bills in the air as he walked through a flower arch and then leaving for prom in a chauffeured Bentley.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

So, why can't it go back within a circular economy and contribute to other students' prom experience?

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Because of the Mason developments, though, that doesn’t seem super likely for prom.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

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