saw palmetto

American

noun

a shrublike palmetto, Serenoa repens, of the palm family, native to the southern U.S., having green or blue leafstalks set with spiny teeth.
a tall palm, Acoelorraphe wrightii, of Florida and the West Indies.

saw palmetto British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of saw palmetto

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I usually tell patients the only thing saw palmetto does is hurt your wallet,” Nakada said.

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

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 • Oct. 17, 2022

Nutrafol, for example, makes a supplement that uses maca powder, saw palmetto and other ingredients to combat hair loss related to hormonal changes in perimenopause and menopause.

From New York Times • Dec. 21, 2021

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

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023