rum
noun
an alcoholic liquor or spirit distilled from molasses or some other fermented sugar-cane product.
rum
1 American
[ruhm]
/ rʌm /
noun
-
an alcoholic liquor or spirit distilled from molasses or some other fermented sugar-cane product.
-
alcoholic drink in general; intoxicating liquor.
He warned against the demon rum.
rum
2
American
[ruhm]
/ rʌm /
adjective
Chiefly British Informal.
-
odd, strange, or queer.
a rum fellow.
-
problematic; difficult; bad.
a rum situation.
rum
3
American
[ruhm]
/ rʌm /
noun
Cards.
Rum
4
American
[r oom]
/ rum /
noun
rum
1
British
/ rʌm /
noun
rum
2
British
/ rʌm /
adjective
rum
3
British
/ rʌm /
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rum1
First recorded in 1645–55; perhaps short for obsolete rumbullion, rumbustion, of obscure origin
Origin of rum2
First recorded in 1750–60; earlier rome, room “great,” of uncertain origin; perhaps from Romani; see Rom
Origin of rum3
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; by shortening
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.
See Examples For:
On a recent Friday evening at a Westchester yacht club, roughly a dozen choppers flew by in a two-hour stretch as members sipped rum cocktails on a waterside deck.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Before launching his presidential bid, De la Espriella lived in Florence, Italy, where he dabbled in opera, jetted around in private planes and promoted his rum and wine businesses.
From Barron's ● May 25, 2026
Sazerac, whose brands include Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Buffalo Trace bourbon and Parrot Bay rum, initially connected with 818 when the brand did a collaboration with its Traveller Whiskey, created by country singer Chris Stapleton.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
On Thursday, Seedat told the inquiry he was not aware "red rum" was a reference to murder.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
Olive ate even more: Gooseberry tarts and currant bread and cream trifle and plum pudding and chocolate bonbons and spice cake—all dribbled over with butter rum sauce and apricot sauce and peppermint sauce.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
There was further history for I Am Maximus, with a handicap of 11st 12lb, becoming the first top weight to triumph since Red Rum carried 12st in 1974.
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026
Meanwhile for those in search of a real doer-upper there is the £750,000 Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum which it has been estimated could cost millions to restore.
From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2026
At the Pirates’ fan site Rum Bunter, Emma Lingan wrote: “Fandom isn’t a streaming subscription you cancel when the content gets bad.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
Josh Friedman is the chief executive of Dr. Squatch, a maker of products like Bay Rum soap and Pine Tar “Odor Squatching” deodorant, which was acquired by Unilever this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 27, 2025
"The raisins in the Rum Raisin are really ants! The cherries in the Cherry Vanilla are really squishy eyeballs. Alien eyeballs!"
From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene
Son of a Manhattan hotel owner, Ben Bates evolved his philosophy of an elegant life when, as a boy, he watched his father's daily ritual in preparing punch from Medford Rum.*
From Time Magazine Archive
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