palmer

See also: Palmer

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English palmer, from Anglo-Norman palmer, from Old French paumier (“palmer”), from Medieval Latin palmārius (“palmer”), from palma (“palm tree”).

Noun

palmer (plural palmers)

  1. A pilgrim who had been to the Holy Land and who brought back a palm branch in signification; a wandering religious votary.
    • ca. 1370–90, William Langland, Piers Plowman,
      Pilgrims and palmers plighted them together
      To seek for Saint James and the saintes in Rome ...
    • 1674, Thomas Staveley, The Romish horseleech : or, an impartial account of the intolerable charge of Popery to this nation, p. 93:
      The Pilgrim had some home or dwelling place, the Palmer had none. The Pilgrim travelled to some certain, designed place or places, but the Palmer to all. The Pilgrim went as his own charge, but the Palmer professed wilful poverty and went upon alms.
    • 1820, John Keats, "Isabella; or The Pot of Basil", I:
      Lorenzo, a young palmer in Love's eye!

Etymology 2

From noun palm

Noun

palmer (plural palmers)

  1. A ferule used to punish schoolboys by striking their palms.

Etymology 3

From the transitive verb to palm.

Noun

palmer (plural palmers)

  1. One who palms or cheats, as at cards or dice.

References

  • palmer in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

Catalan

Alternative forms

Etymology

palma +‎ -er

Noun

palmer m (plural palmers)

  1. palm tree

Latin

Verb

palmer

  1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of palmō

Middle English

FWOTD – 28 March 2017
A medieval stained glass window depicting pilgrims, from the Cathedral of Canterbury, England.

Alternative forms

Etymology

Named for the palm branches they were wont to bring back from the Levant to signify their pilgrimage. From Anglo-Norman palmer, from Old French paumier, from Medieval Latin palmārius (“palmer”), from palma (“palm tree”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈpɑːl.mər/

Noun

palmer (plural palmeres)

  1. A pilgrim who has been to the Holy Land.
    • Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, General Prologue, ll. 13–15:
      Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
      And palmeres for to seken strange stroundes
      To ferne halwes, kouthe in sondry londes.
      Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,
      And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,
      To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.
  2. (by extension) Any pilgrim or crusader.

Descendants

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

palmer m

  1. indefinite plural of palme

Swedish

Noun

palmer

  1. indefinite plural of palm
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