Word of the Day

: July 5, 2007

palmy

adjective PAH-mee

What It Means

1 : marked by prosperity : flourishing

2 : abounding in or bearing palms

palmy in Context

"In Beaufort Road was a house, occupied in its palmier days, by Mr Shorthouse, a manufacturer of acids." (J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter, July 1964)

Did You Know?

The palm branch has traditionally been used as a symbol of victory. It is no wonder then that the word "palm" came to mean "victory" or "triumph" in the late 14th century, thanks to the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer. Centuries later, Shakespeare would employ "palm" to create a new synonym for "triumphant" or "flourishing." His coinage is found in the tragedy Hamlet when the character Horatio speaks of the "palmy state of Rome / A little ere the mightiest Julius fell."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.