A.Word.A.Day --palmary

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Jul 28, 2020

This week’s theme
Words having origins in tree names

This week’s words
corroborate
palmary
willowy
birch
fig

Allegory of Victory, c. 1635
Victory holds a palm branch and tramples a figure variously identified as Deceit, Intrigue, or Rebellion

Art: Mathieu Le Nain

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

palmary

PRONUNCIATION:

(PAL-muh-ree)

MEANING:

adjective: Of supreme importance; outstanding; praiseworthy.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin palmarius (deserving or carrying the palm), from palma (palm). The branches of the palm tree were carried as symbols of victory in ancient times. The name of the palm tree derives from the resemblance of the shape of its frond to the palm of a hand. Earliest documented use: 1646. Two related words are palmy and palmer.

USAGE:

“The edition is a palmary achievement both in Johnsonian scholarship and in book production.”
Mary, Viscountess Eccles; The Times (London, UK); Sep 1, 2003.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

We are social creatures to the inmost centre of our being. The notion that one can begin anything at all from scratch, free from the past, or unindebted to others, could not conceivably be more wrong. -Karl Popper, philosopher and professor (28 Jul 1902-1994)

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