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Added 10 October 2026

ream

/ɹiːm/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ream at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A large quantity of written matter.
he wrote reams and reams
A quantity of paper; 480 or 500 sheets; one ream equals 20 quires.

verb

Squeeze the juice out (of a fruit) with a reamer.
ream oranges
Remove by making a hole or by boring.
the dentist reamed out the debris in the course of the root canal treatment
Enlarge with a reamer.
ream a hole

Origin

From Middle English rem, reme, from Old English rēam (“cream”), from Proto-West Germanic *raum, from Proto-Germanic *raumaz (“cream”), from Proto-Indo-European *réwgʰmn̥ (“to sour [milk]”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Room (“cream”), West Frisian rjemme (“cream”), Dutch room (“cream”), German Low German Rahm, Rohm (“cream”), German Rahm (“cream”), Swedish römme (“cream”), Norwegian rømme (“sour cream”), Faroese rómi (“cream”), Icelandic rjómi (“cream”). See also ramekin.

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

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