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• rum
  rum

  noun

  an alcoholic liquor or spirit distilled from molasses or some other fermented sugar-cane product.
• Rum
  Rum

  noun

  Arabic name of Rome, once used to designate the Byzantine Empire.
• Rum.
  Rum.

  abbreviation

  Rumania. See Romania.

rum

¹ American  

[ruhm] / rʌm /

noun

1. an alcoholic liquor or spirit distilled from molasses or some other fermented sugar-cane product.

2. alcoholic drink in general; intoxicating liquor.

   He warned against the demon rum.

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rum ² American  

[ruhm] / rʌm /

adjective

Chiefly British Informal.

1. odd, strange, or queer.

   a rum fellow.

2. problematic; difficult; bad.

   a rum situation.

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rum ³ American  

[ruhm] / rʌm /

noun

Cards.

1. rummy.

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Rum ⁴ American  

[room] / rum /

noun

1. Arabic name of Rome, once used to designate the Byzantine Empire.

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Rum. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. Rumania. See Romania.

2. Rumanian. See Romanian. Also Rum

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rum ¹ British  

/ rʌm /

noun

1. spirit made from sugar cane, either coloured brownish-red by the addition of caramel or by maturation in oak containers, or left white

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rum ² British  

/ rʌm /

adjective

1. slang strange; peculiar; odd

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rum ³ British  

/ rʌm /

noun

1. short for rummy 1

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Other Word Forms

• rumness
  noun
• rumless
  adjective
• rumly
  adverb

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

See Examples For:

rum Rum Rum.

He previously lived in Florence, Italy, where he dabbled in opera, travelled by private jet and promoted his rum, wine and fashion brand -- "De la Espriella Style."

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

As the owner of a successful online business that markets menswear, rum and wine, he has made a lot of money and isn’t shy about showing it off.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

On Thursday, Seedat told the inquiry he was not aware "red rum" was a reference to murder.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

Afterward, thousands of giddy fans thronged the malecón, Havana’s seaside promenade, laughing and drinking rum.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026

I am in the weving rum at the Concord Corp.

From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson

In 2024, the Isle of Rum, which is in the Highland Council area, was named Scotland's first International Dark Sky Sanctuary by the organisation DarkSky International.

From BBC ● May 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

Garten’s recipes for a Maple Pecan Pie and an Ultimate Pumpkin Pie with Rum Whipped Cream only include a bottom crust.

From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2025

Golds, light yellows deepening to vibrant orange, reds from the palest pink to the darkest crimson, greens, all shades, threaded in their intricate patterns, told the history of the world and its Rum.

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry

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