rome

rome — noun

1. the city that is the capital of Italy, famous for its ancient history and landma

1.nounA2
Definition

the city that is the capital of Italy, famous for its ancient history and landmarks such as the Colosseum, and built on the Tiber River in central Italy

Example

Faisal visited Rome for the first time and was amazed by the Colosseum.

Rome as a travel destination

Many ancient ruins in Rome are still standing in the middle of the modern city.

Common Mistakes

I visited the Rome last summer.
I visited Rome last summer.
City names in English usually do not take the article 'the'.
Rome is the capital of Roman Empire.
Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire.
The Roman Empire is a historical state, not a country; use past tense 'was'.
Idioms

This phrase means that important or difficult work takes a long time and cannot be done quickly.

Learning a new language takes time; Rome wasn't built in a day.

Don't worry about slow progress—Rome wasn't built in a day.

This phrase advises that you should follow the customs of the place you are visiting.

When in Rome, try the local food even if it seems strange.

Maya ate with chopsticks in Japan because when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Rome is the standard name for the city and capital of Italy, used in everyday conversation, news, and travel contexts. 'The Eternal City' is a poetic nickname that emphasises Rome's long, continuous history and appears most often in tourism writing and literature. 'The capital of Italy' is a descriptive phrase used when the writer wants to specify Rome's political role rather than its identity as a place — for example, 'the treaty was signed in the capital of Italy.' Use 'Rome' for general reference, choose 'the Eternal City' for a literary or romantic tone, and use 'the capital of Italy' when Rome's governmental function is the focus.

Romethe Eternal Citythe capital of Italy

Common collocations

Etymology

EtruscanLatinFrenchEnglish

The English name 'Rome' comes from Latin 'Rōma', the name of the city. According to legend, the city was founded by Romulus, who became its first king. The Latin name itself may have come from an even older Etruscan word. Over many centuries the city's name passed from Latin into French (as 'Rome') and then into English, where it has been used since the early Middle Ages to refer to the capital of the Roman Empire and later of Italy.