palindrome

[ pal-in-drohm ]

noun

1. a word, line, verse, number, sentence, etc., reading the same backward as forward, as Madam, I'm Adam or Poor Dan is in a droop.
2. Biochemistry. a region of DNA in which the sequence of nucleotides is identical with an inverted sequence in the complementary strand:

   GAATTC is a palindrome of CTTAAG.

palindrome

/ ˌpælɪnˈdrɒmɪk; ˈpælɪnˌdrəʊm /

noun

1. a word or phrase the letters of which, when taken in reverse order, give the same word or phrase, such as able was I ere I saw Elba

Derived Forms

• palindromic, adjective

Other Words From

• pa·lin·dro·mist [p, uh, -, lin, -droh-mist], noun
• pal·in·drom·ic [pal-in-, drom, -ik, -, droh, -mik], palin·dromi·cal adjective
• palin·dromi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of palindrome¹

First recorded in 1630–40; from Greek palíndromos “recurring,” equivalent to pálin “back, again” + -dromos “running, race” ( -drome )

Word History and Origins

Origin of palindrome¹

C17: from Greek palindromos running back again, from palin again + -drome

Example Sentences

Read my review of Tenet and learn about the ancient palindrome square that unlocks it.

From Vox

The word in the third and central line is itself a palindrome.

From Vox

In this case every reading of the palindrome requires the use of the central V as the middle letter.

From Project Gutenberg

In this form the solution will depend on whether the number of letters in the palindrome be odd or even.

From Project Gutenberg

Hannah therefore calls herself, again at my suggestion, "Pal," which is short for "palindrome."

From Project Gutenberg

This word, which looks like an unsuccessful palindrome, belongs to the language of medieval magic.

From Project Gutenberg

I have seen it stated that the English language affords but one specimen of the palindrome, while the Latin and Greek have many.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Palindrome

What is a palindrome?

A palindrome is a word or phrase that can be read the same way backward or forward, as with the words redivider, kayak, and civic.

Palindromes are most often used to be creative and have fun with words. You might see them in ads to catch your attention or a creative writing teacher might ask the class to write palindromes to help students think more creatively.

In biology, a palindrome describes a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that matches a reverse line. The possible nucleotide combinations are A-T and C-G, and the pairs can match up in any order. Sometimes they line up palindromically, as when CCTAGG matches up with a sequence of GGATCC.

Example: One of the most famous palindromes is “Never Odd or Even,” which has the same letters backward and forward.

Where does palindrome come from?

The first records of the term palindrome come from around 1630. It comes from the Greek palíndromos, meaning “recurring.” A word or phrase that is spelled the same way backward as it does forward might be thought of as having recurring letters.

Palindromes are a literary device similar to alliteration or rhyme schemes, which allow writers to add an extra layer of written complexity to their works. Sometimes a product or brand with a palindromic name is more memorable, such as the Honda Civic, Xerox printers, Elle magazine, and OXO cooking products.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to palindrome?

• palindromist (noun)
• palindromic (adjective)
• palindromical (adjective)
• palindromically (adverb)

What are some words that share a root or word element with palindrome? 

• palindromia

What are some words that often get used in discussing palindrome?

• letters
• literary
• nucleotide
• spelling
• words

How is palindrome used in real life?

Palindromes are mostly created for the fun of them.

Today is 02/02/2020, a rare palindrome date.

— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2020

“Was it a car or a cat I saw?” is a palindromic sentence – Neglecting the punctuation, it can be read the same backwards.

— UberFacts (@UberFacts) April 4, 2020

#ABBA is the only palindromic band to have had a song in the UK charts that is also a palindrome – SOS.

— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) April 27, 2018

 

 

Try using palindrome!

Is palindrome used correctly in the following sentence?

My favorite palindrome is “She sells seashells by the seashore.”