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Definition of palmetto

palmetto

/pælˈmɛtoʊ/
pal · met · to
Plural:palmettos
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palmetto Lexical Profile

palmetto Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any of several relatively small or low-growing palm trees of the family Arecaceae (especially of the genera Sabal and Serenoa), native to the southeastern United States and the Caribbean and characterized by stiff, fan-shaped fronds.

Example

"The coastal trail wound through sandy scrubland thick with live oaks and palmettos."

2

The dried leaves or strips of fronds from a palmetto tree, woven to make hats, baskets, mats, and thatch.

Example

"Local artisans wove strips of dried palmetto into sturdy sun hats and market baskets."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for palmetto

• Rhymes for palmetto

• Nearby Words

palm viper
palma
palmchat
palmetto
palmetto snake
palmful
palmist

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the 16th century from Spanish 'palmito', a diminutive of 'palma' (palm tree), ultimately from Latin 'palma', so named for the resemblance of the fan-shaped fronds to an open human hand.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Palmetto. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/palmetto
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