palmetto

[ pal-met-oh, pahl-, pah-met-oh ]

noun

, plural pal·met·tos, pal·met·toes.

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

palmetto

/ pælˈmɛtəʊ /

noun

1. See saw palmetto, cabbage palmetto
   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

Word History and Origins

Origin of palmetto¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of palmetto¹

C16: from Spanish palmito a little palm ²

Example Sentences

In 2018 at Bay Hill, he tried to get relief from a palmetto bush and, when he was twice denied, said, “I guess my name needs to be Jordan Spieth.”

From Washington Post

Not least among Palmetto State glories is the pimento cheeseburger.

From The Daily Beast

A policeman stopped traffic on Palmetto for the cortege and second line to pass, and in a better street, people broke out dancing.

From The Daily Beast

They pulled the elegant wagon on a slow pace along for a block and then made a U-turn beneath the Palmetto overpass.

From The Daily Beast

Palmetto becomes Washington Avenue after it crosses Carrollton and approaches the campus of Xavier University.

From The Daily Beast

The result is that Democrats and Independents will be able to continue to vote in Republican primaries in the Palmetto State.

From The Daily Beast

Eudora was racing now through the briers, and weeds, and palmetto stumps, and dragging Mandy Ann with her.

From Project Gutenberg

It is crowned, however, with a leaf like that of the palmetto; but the tufts of the dragon tree resemble the yucca in growth.

From Project Gutenberg

His thoughts flew back to the palmetto clearing, where he first saw the little girl and Judy.

From Project Gutenberg

Was he back in the palmetto clearing, standing in the moonlight with Dora, and exacting a promise from her which broke her heart?

From Project Gutenberg

A log-house in a palmetto clearing, with a foolish old grandmother who did not know enough to ask or care what I was to Eudora.

From Project Gutenberg