saw palmetto

American  

noun

1. a shrublike palmetto, Serenoa repens, of the palm family, native to the southern U.S., having green or blue leafstalks set with spiny teeth.

2. a tall palm, Acoelorraphe wrightii, of Florida and the West Indies.

---

saw palmetto British  

noun

1. any of several dwarf prickly palms, esp any of the genus Sabal, of the southeastern US

---

Etymology

Origin of saw palmetto

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

Example Sentences

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

From Seattle Times

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

From BBC

My patients often ask me about two popular oral supplements: Nutrafol, which contains saw palmetto, and Viviscal, which contains a compound of marine extracts and polysaccharides.

From Washington Post

Mama sent Doc off to find her some saw palmetto to make tea.

From Literature

Since a time when the island was predominantly tangles of black mangrove, saw palmetto and cabbage palms, beachgoers have used Root Trail to reach the ocean.

From Washington Times