palm English · revision 6503

+ English has two words spelled palm, both from Latin palma, palm of the hand: the tree, taken into Old English, and the inner surface of the hand, which came later through French.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɑːm/, /pɑm/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ {{homograph|1|tree}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 825|origins=la palma}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The tree is [[inh|ang|palm|alt=palma, palm]], [[bor|la|palma|t=palm tree; palm of the hand]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) an early borrowing like [[osx|palma]], [[goh|palma]] and [[non|pálmr]],^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) reinforced in Middle English by Old French palme.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) The tree is named from the shape of its leaves, like a hand with spread fingers.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) Etymonline notes that the word reached northern Europe, where the tree does not grow, through Christianity.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ About 825 in the OED, before 830 in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A leaf or branch of the palm, carried as a symbol of victory, is from about 1200,^(OED 1989) and figuratively victory or supreme honour, as in ''bear the palm'', from about 1386, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Word Origins says that in ancient Rome a palm branch was placed in the hands of the victor.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Palm Sunday'' is Old English palm-sunnandæg,^(Etymonline) and in northern Europe other branches, such as willow, were used instead of palm from 1375.^(OED 1989) Palm oil, from the fruit, is from 1705,^(Etymonline) and the hotel ''palm court'' by 1908.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 825 – the palm tree.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – a palm branch as a symbol of victory.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1386 – victory, prize.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1705 – palm oil.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of a family of tropical and subtropical trees, usually with a tall unbranched trunk crowned by large [[frond|alt=fronds]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A palm leaf as a symbol of [[victory]]; victory or honour.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[palmy]]

+ * [[palm oil]]

+ * [[Palm Sunday]]

+ * [[palmetto]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|inside of the hand}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300|origins=ine-pro *pleh₂-}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The hand is Middle English palme, paume, [[bor|fro|palme|alt=palme, paume]], from [[la|palma|t=palm of the hand]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) cognate with [[grc|παλάμη|tr=palámē|t=palm of the hand]], Old Irish lám and Old English [[m|ang|folm|t=hand]] (see [[fumble]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from PIE [[ine-pro|*pleh₂-|alt=*pele-|t=flat; to spread]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The flat of the hand: probably before 1300, in ''Kyng Alisaunder'', in Barnhart;^(Barnhart 1988) about 1300 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb, to conceal in the hand, as cheats do with cards or dice, is from the 1670s, as is to impose something on someone by fraud;^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) ''palm off'' is from 1822.^(Etymonline) To touch or stroke with the palm is from the late 15th century.^(SOED 2002) ''Palm oil'' as a pun for a bribe (1620s) is earlier than the literal oil.^(Etymonline) Reading the lines of the palm is [[palmistry]].^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – the palm of the hand.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1620s – palm oil, a bribe.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1670s – to conceal in the hand.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1822 – palm off.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The inner surface of the hand between the wrist and the fingers.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The part of a glove covering the palm.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To hide something in the hand, as in a conjuring trick.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''palm off'': to get rid of something by deception.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[palmistry]]

+ * [[palmar]]

+ * [[palmate]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fumble]]

+ * [[plain]]

+ * [[plane]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}