palmetto

American  

[pal-met-oh, pahl-, pah-met-oh] / pælˈmɛt oʊ, pɑl-, pɑˈmɛt oʊ /

noun

palmettos, plural palmettoes plural

1. any of various palms having fan-shaped leaves, as of the genera Sabal, Serenoa, and Thrinax.

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palmetto British  

/ pælˈmɛtəʊ /

noun

1. any of several small chiefly tropical fan palms, esp any of the genus Sabal, of the southeastern US See also cabbage palmetto saw palmetto

2. any of various other fan palms such as palms of the genera Serenoa, Thrinax, and Chamaerops

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• palmettoes
  plural
• palmettos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of palmetto

1555–65; earlier palmito < Spanish, diminutive of palma palm ²; -etto by association with -ette

Explanation

A palmetto is a type of palm tree. You're most likely to see palmettos in South America or the southern US states, instead of say Nebraska. A palmetto (the "cabbage palmetto, to be specific) is Florida's official state tree, and South Carolina is known as "the palmetto state." Palmettos are fan palms, with leaves in the shape of fans that are arranged in a rounded shape. The very middle of the palmetto plant is edible, and when it's harvested and sold as food, it's called "heart of palm." Palmetto comes from the Spanish palmito, "little palm tree."

Example Sentences

South Carolina’s palm, the Sabal palmetto, arrived in L.A. late in the 19th century, and a striking example grew at Fourth and Main in present-day downtown.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025

There’s not strong evidence for herbal remedies such as saw palmetto.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 26, 2024

Herbal supplements such as saw palmetto are not currently recommended, although some men say they work for them.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2024

Nashville’s local palms, the dwarf palmetto and Sabal minor, might, at best, yield a fluffy lowercase m.

From Slate • Sep. 5, 2023

He brought Mama her favorite apron, the one with the palmetto trees on it.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce