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Added 9 October 2026

foam

/ˈfəʊ̯m/ noun

In Latin: spūma Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about foam at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially:
His specialty is a mango foam.
A collection of small bubbles created when the surface of a body of water is moved by tides, wind, etc.
A collection of small bubbles formed from bodily fluids such as saliva or sweat.

verb

To form or emit foam.
To spew saliva as foam; to foam at the mouth.
To coat or cover with foam.
It used to be common practice to foam the runway prior to an emergency landing, in case a fuel-fed fire occurred.

Origin

From Middle English fom, foom, from Old English fām, from Proto-West Germanic *faim, from Proto-Germanic *faimaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)poHy-m-os, from *(s)poH(y)- (“foam”). Cognate with German Feim (“foam”), Latin spūma (“foam”), Latin pūmex (“pumice”), Sanskrit फेन (phéna, “foam”), possibly Northern Kurdish fê (“epilepsy”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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