Foam

Pronunciation

• enPR: fōm, IPA: /fəʊm/
• Rhymes: -əʊm

Origin

From Middle English fom, from Old English fām ("foam"), from Proto-Germanic *faimaz ("foam"), from Proto-Indo-European *poyǝmn-, *spoyǝmn- ("foam"). Cognate with German Feim ("foam"), Latin spūma ("foam"), Latin pūmex ("pumice"), Kurdish fê ("epilepsy").

Full definition of foam

Noun

1. A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains.
• 2013, Charles T. Ambrose, Alzheimer’s Disease, Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.
2. He doesn't like so much foam in his beer.
   A foam mat can soften a hard seat.
3. (by extension) Sea foam; (figuratively) the sea.
   He is in Europe, across the foam.

Derived terms

• foamy

Verb

1. To form or emit foam.
• Bible, Mark ix. 18He foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth.
• 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty Chapter 23http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/23What I suffered with that rein for four long months in my lady's carriage, it would be hard to describe, but I am quite sure that, had it lasted much longer, either my health or my temper would have given way. Before that, I never knew what it was to foam at the mouth, but now the action of the sharp bit on my tongue and jaw, and the constrained position of my head and throat, always caused me to froth at the mouth more or less.