What does idiom mean?
Word: Idiom
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Idiom means a group of words whose meaning cannot be worked out from the meanings of the separate words, such as 'break the ice'.
Synonyms: expression, saying
Word origin: From Greek idioma, through Latin and French; recorded in English from the late 1500s.
How do you spell idiom?
Syllables: id - i - om
Tricky part: The word ends in om, not um: students who know medium and podium often write idium.
Watch out for: idium, ideom, iddiom
Memory tip: Idiom has only five letters, and its only consonants are a d and an m; the other three are vowels, with o the last of them.
Idiom in a sentence
Example 1: Our teacher gave us a list of idioms to use in our story writing.
Example 2: My grandfather mixes English and Marathi idioms when he tells stories.
Example 3: An idiom such as 'hit the books' can puzzle someone who is just learning English.
Fun Fact
Some idioms are almost the same in Hindi and English: 'to add fuel to the fire' is very close to the Hindi 'aag mein ghee daalna', to pour ghee on the fire.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Champ
Read the three statements and choose the correct option:
1. 'Once in a blue moon' is an idiom that means very rarely. 2. 'Under the weather' is an idiom that means feeling a little ill. 3. 'Spill the beans' is an idiom that means to waste food.
a) all three are true
b) only 2 and 3 are true
c) only 1 and 2 are true
d) only 3 is true
Show answer
c) only 1 and 2 are true. To spill the beans is to tell a secret too early, so statement 3 gets the meaning wrong.
Spell Spies
Find the misspelt word:
a) axiom
b) allegary
c) maxim
d) idiom
Show answer
b) allegary. Allegory has an o after the g, just like category.
Sound Check
Which word begins with a different 'i' sound?
a) ink
b) island
c) idiom
d) igloo
Show answer
b) island. The i in island says its own name, as in ice; idiom, igloo and ink all open with a short i.
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct meaning:
Idiom comes from the Greek word idios. What did idios mean?
a) hidden or secret
b) spoken aloud
c) old and wise
d) one's own, private
Show answer
d) one's own, private. Idios meant one's own, so an idiom is a way of speaking that belongs to one particular language.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A translation that reads in idiomatic English is one that ___.
a) sounds natural to an English speaker
b) is written in very formal language
c) follows the original word for word
d) uses many long and rare words
Show answer
a) sounds natural to an English speaker
2. Which sentence uses an idiom?
a) Rahul looked at the moon through a telescope.
b) Rahul was over the moon when he won the quiz.
c) Rahul won the quiz by three points.
d) Rahul jumped over the fence to fetch the ball.
Show answer
b) Rahul was over the moon when he won the quiz.
