palmetto

noun

pal·​met·​to pal-ˈme-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce palmetto (audio)
 also  pä-,
päl-,
pȯ-,
pȯl-
plural palmettos or palmettoes
1
: any of several usually low-growing fan-leaved palms
especially : cabbage palmetto
2
: strips of the leaf blade of a palmetto used in weaving

Illustration of palmetto

Illustration of palmetto
  • palmetto 1

Examples of palmetto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before sugarcane dominated the landscape, cattle and citrus groves filled its saw palmetto prairies. Patrick Farrell, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2024 The palmetto tree also symbolizes the victory over the British fleet at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island. Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2024 Palmetto State Park near San Antonio is a tropical getaway with dwarf palmetto plants, while Colorado Bend State Park has a 70-foot waterfall and 400 underground caves. Alex Temblador, Outside Online, 23 Sep. 2024 During the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, the fort’s success was largely due to its construction from palmetto logs, which absorbed the cannonballs’ impact without splintering. Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for palmetto 

Word History

Etymology

modification of Spanish palmito, from palma palm, from Latin

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of palmetto was in 1615

Dictionary Entries Near palmetto

Cite this Entry

“Palmetto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palmetto. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

palmetto

noun
pal·​met·​to pal-ˈmet-ō How to pronounce palmetto (audio)
plural palmettos or palmettoes
: any of several usually low-growing palms with fan-shaped leaves
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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