: 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
: 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
Noun (1)
the judges' decision was unanimous: the palm would go to the pianist who had played an early piece by Chopin 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.
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Noun
In it, a fortune teller (Vanessa Bayer) reads Tess and Anna’s palms and marvels at the fact that their life lines have intertwined in the past, while the mother-daughter duo tries to downplay that incident.—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2025 Welcome to the Bahamas, where visitors are not only mesmerized by the waving palms, soft white sand, and electric blue waters but by an evolving culinary scene that has quickly become yet another reason to book a flight.—Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
Both teams threatened with Mikel Merino’s header palmed away by Matz Sels and David Raya denying Chris Wood at the other end.—James McNicholas, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025 His stunning, one-handed outlet passes — often completed in a single fluid motion, without ever bringing the ball below his shoulders after palming the rebound — resemble water polo passes.—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for palm
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
: 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
: 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
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