palm

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: any of a family (Palmae synonym Arecaceae) of mostly tropical or subtropical monocotyledonous trees, shrubs, or vines with usually a simple stem and a terminal crown of large pinnate or fan-shaped leaves
2
: a leaf of the palm as a symbol of victory or rejoicing
also : a branch (as of laurel) similarly used
3
: a symbol of triumph or superiority
also : victory, triumph
4
: an addition to a military decoration in the form of a palm frond especially to indicate a second award of the basic decoration
palmlike
ˈpäm-ˌlīk How to pronounce palm (audio)
ˈpälm-
ˈpȯm-
ˈpȯlm-
adjective

Illustration of palm

Illustration of palm
  • 1palm 1

palm

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: the somewhat concave part of the human hand between the bases of the fingers and the wrist or the corresponding part of the forefoot of a lower mammal
2
: a flat expanded part especially at the end of a base or stalk (as of an anchor)
3
[Latin palmus, from palma] : a unit of length based on the breadth or length of the hand
4
: something (such as a part of a glove) that covers the palm of the hand
5
: an act of palming (as of cards)

palm

3 of 3

verb

palmed; palming; palms

transitive verb

1
a
: to conceal in or with the hand
palm a card
b
: to take or pick up stealthily
c
: to hand stealthily
palmed him a dollar bill
2
: to impose by fraud
a second imposter to be palmed upon youSir Walter Scott
3
: to touch with the palm: such as
a
: to stroke with the palm or hand
b
: to allow (a basketball) to come to rest momentarily in the hand while dribbling thus committing a violation

Examples of palm in a Sentence

Verb The store's owner had seen one of the girls palm a lipstick before heading for the door. To do the card trick, you have to learn to palm one of the cards. He was called for palming the ball. The kick was palmed away by the goalkeeper.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Bring your arms above your head, making sure your palms are facing toward you. Jacqueline Andriakos, Health, 13 Mar. 2024 After a 20-second handwash with soap and drying their hands with a paper towel, a worker places their hands — first palms up, then palms down — under the scanner to activate it. Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 To apply, warm about two to three drops of oil in your palms and pat lightly over your face. Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2024 Send any news, comments, pizza tests, and British palms to talk@qz.com. Morgan Haefner, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 Ineligible are all palm varieties, woody plants used to create hedges, weeping trees with soft branches that touch the ground, certain invasive species and trees that don’t provide sufficient shade or are pruned to reduce their canopy, according to the district. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Halve your avocado on a cutting board: Hold the avocado against the cutting board with the palm of your non-dominant hand. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 4 Mar. 2024 The Jim Wright palm paradise is on the tour again, along with succulents, cactuses, low water, veggie/fruit, sustainable, and entertainment gardens. Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 The knife can slip off the pit, or the avocado itself, plunging into your palm. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
After a 20-second handwash with soap and drying their hands with a paper towel, a worker places their hands — first palms up, then palms down — under the scanner to activate it. Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 At least that’s what Hal Wallis may have told you after the 1944 Academy Awards when Jack Warner accepted the Casablanca Oscar that some felt should have been palmed by Wallis, the Warner Bros. film’s producer. Chris Yogerst, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 The woman had pushed aside her scarf and unbuttoned her coat so that my mother could place her hand, palm down, directly onto her dress. Sanaë Lemoine, Harper's Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 With no one to palm him off on, Tennant turned up in person at the Royal Festival Hall in London with Bark Ruffalo in tow. Alex Ritman, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024 Ethan Slater and Ariana Grande | Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/Getty Images In the musical, Glinda palms Boq off on Elphaba's sister Nessarose (played by Marissa Bode on screen), who then develops an unhealthy relationship with him. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 July 2023 To assess my health, my aunt would palm my forehead and check my tongue for changes in color and shape. Meng Jin, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2023 The whole operation is very bourgeois, but its convenience does not outshine the furtive satisfactions of being palmed the product by Bruno on the Juniper State lawn. Han Ong, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023 Yimmi Chara in the 54th minute had one from inside the box that goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa had to palm over the bar. Caitlin Murray, oregonlive, 6 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'palm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin palma palm of the hand, palm tree; from the resemblance of the tree's leaves to the outstretched hand; akin to Greek palamē palm of the hand, Old English folm, Old Irish lám hand

Noun (2)

Middle English paume, palme, from Anglo-French, from Latin palma

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of palm was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near palm

Cite this Entry

“Palm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palm. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

palm

1 of 3 noun
1
: any of a family of mostly tropical or subtropical woody trees, shrubs, or vines usually with a simple but often tall stem topped by a crown of very large feathery or fan-shaped leaves
2
a
: a palm leaf especially when carried as a symbol of victory or rejoicing
b
: an emblem of success or triumph
palmlike adjective

palm

2 of 3 noun
1
: the underside of the hand between the fingers and the wrist
2
: a measure of length based on the width or length of the palm

palm

3 of 3 verb
: to conceal in or pick up secretly with the hand
Etymology

Noun

Old English palm "palm tree," from Latin palma "palm of the hand"; so called because the leaves resemble an outstretched hand

Noun

Middle English paume "palm of the hand," from early French paume (same meaning), from Latin palma "palm of the hand"

Medical Definition

palm

noun
: the somewhat concave part of the human hand between the bases of the fingers and the wrist or the corresponding part of the forefoot of a lower mammal

More from Merriam-Webster on palm

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