parchment

noun

parch·​ment ˈpärch-mənt 

1

: the skin of a sheep or goat prepared for writing on

2

: strong, tough, and often somewhat translucent paper made to resemble parchment

3

: a parchment manuscript

also : an academic diploma

Examples of parchment in a Sentence

Ancient people wrote on parchment.

a parchment dating back to ancient times

Line the pan with a sheet of parchment.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trim parchment off the edges and cut into 16 squares. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025

And then use the parchment, hold both sides, and then very carefully just drop that dough right into the very hot Dutch oven. —Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Aug. 2025

Butter an 8-inch square metal baking pan and line the bottom sides with parchment, leaving 1 inch of overhang all around. 2. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2025

Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. —Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 2 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English parchemin, from Anglo-French, modification of Latin pergamena, from Greek pergamēnē, from feminine of Pergamēnos of Pergamum, from Pergamon Pergamum

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

parchment

noun

parch·​ment ˈpärch-mənt 

1

: the skin of a sheep or goat prepared as a writing material

2

: a paper like parchment

3

: something written on parchment