prom
1 Americannoun
noun
abbreviation
noun
-
short for promenade promenade concert
-
informal short for promenade
acronym
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."
Vocabulary lists containing prom
"Fleeing Katrina"
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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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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.