prom

prom — noun

1. a formal social event held in the spring for older high school students during t

1.nounB1
Definition

a formal social event held in the spring for older high school students during their final year of study, featuring music, dancing, and often a meal, with participants typically wearing formal attire

Example

Christopher asked Naoko to the prom with a funny sign and a box of chocolates.

ask [someone] to the prom

The high school gym was decorated with fairy lights and balloons for the prom.

collocation: for the prom

Common collocations
  • senior prom
  • junior prom
  • school prom
  • prom night
  • prom king
  • prom queen
  • prom dress
  • prom date
  • go to prom
  • ask to prom
  • take someone to prom
  • prom committee
Synonyms
  • ball

    a more formal event with dinner and dancing, often for adults or charity, not school-specific

  • formal

    stresses the dress-code requirement; can refer to any event where formal wear is expected

  • dance

    a general term for any social dancing event, without the school-year-end tradition

Grammar Patterns

prom as a countable noun: 'a prom' / 'the prom'

prom without article in fixed phrases: 'go to prom' / 'ask to prom'

Usage Note

In American high schools, prom is traditionally held in the spring of the junior (11th grade) or senior (12th grade) year. The event frequently includes traditions such as electing a prom king and queen and taking formal photographs.

Common Mistakes

She wore a prom to the party.
She wore a prom dress to the party.
'prom' alone does not mean 'prom dress'; use 'prom dress' when referring to the clothing.
I'm going to a prom next Friday.
I'm going to prom next Friday.
In American English, 'prom' usually appears without an article in phrases like 'go to prom' or 'at prom.'

2. shortened form of 'promenade' — a public walking path, usually wide and paved, r

2.nounB2
Definition

shortened form of 'promenade' — a public walking path, usually wide and paved, running beside the coastline in a seaside resort, where people stroll and enjoy the view of the water

Example

On sunny weekends, the Watanabe family enjoys walking along the prom with ice cream.

walk along the prom

The seafood restaurant overlooks the prom and the sea beyond.

overlooks the prom

Common collocations
  • along the prom
  • on the prom
  • the seaside prom
  • walk the prom
  • promenade
Synonyms
  • promenade

    the full, more formal term; 'prom' is the common informal shortening

  • seafront

    the whole area along the sea including buildings and roads, not only the walking path

  • boardwalk

    a wooden walkway, typically found at beaches in the US, not the UK

Grammar Patterns

the + prom

along the prom

Usage Note

Primarily used in British English in reference to seaside resorts such as Blackpool, Brighton, or Bournemouth. When referring to a specific named walkway, 'Prom' is often capitalised, e.g. 'the Blackpool Prom'.

Common Mistakes

We took a walk on the prom in London.
We took a walk on the prom in Brighton.
The sense is specific to coastal towns, not inland cities.

prom — abbreviation

Word family

  • promenade
    nounB2
  • promenading
    nounC1
  • prom king
    noun phraseB1
  • prom queen
    noun phraseB1
  • prom dress
    noun phraseB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Prom' is the standard American term for a formal high school dance held at the end of the school year, while 'ball' suggests a more formal event with dinner and dancing, often hosted by an organization for adults rather than students. 'Dance' is a broad, neutral word for any social event with dancing and carries none of the school-year-end tradition that 'prom' implies. 'Formal' focuses on the dress-code requirement and can refer to any event where formal attire is expected, not only a school dance. 'Gala' implies a celebratory fundraising event, typically for a charity or institution, rather than a student social. For example, a high school student would say 'I'm going to prom,' not 'I'm going to the ball' or 'I'm attending a gala.'

ball ↗dance ↗formal ↗gala

Common collocations

Nouns

  • prom night
  • prom season
  • prom decorations

Phrases

  • go to prom
  • ask someone to prom
  • take someone to prom

Prepositions

  • to prom
  • at prom
  • after prom
  • for prom

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Shortened from 'promenade', which entered English from French 'promenade' meaning 'a walk'. The school-dance sense originated in American high schools and colleges in the late 19th to early 20th century, where the event was originally called a 'promenade concert' or 'promenade dance', referring to the social walking and mingling of participants before the dancing began. The seaside-path sense is the same shortening but preserves the original meaning of a place for walking, especially along a coast.