palm

palm — noun

1. the soft, slightly curved area on the inside of your hand, stretching from where

1.nounB1
Definition

the soft, slightly curved area on the inside of your hand, stretching from where the fingers begin down to the wrist.

Example

Sofia held the warm coin tightly in the palm of her right hand.

in the palm of [possessive] hand

The fortune teller traced a long line across Marcus's open palm.

open palm — physical description

Common collocations
  • in the palm of your hand
  • open palm
  • sweaty palms
  • across the palm
Antonyms

Usage Note

Often paired with possessives ('my palm', 'his palms') and prepositions like 'in', 'on', and 'across'. Distinguish from sense 2 (the tropical tree).

Common Mistakes

He held the key in his palm hand.
He held the key in his palm.
'palm' already refers to part of the hand; do not add 'hand'.

2. a tall plant of warm regions whose straight, branchless trunk ends in a crown of

2.nounB2
Definition

a tall plant of warm regions whose straight, branchless trunk ends in a crown of large, often feather-shaped or fan-shaped leaves; some types produce dates or coconuts.

Example

Tall palms lined the white beach at the edge of the resort.

common landscape collocation: palms line

Carlos climbed a coconut palm to fetch fruit for the children.

compound: coconut palm

Common collocations
  • palm tree
  • coconut palm
  • date palm
  • palm leaf
  • row of palms
Synonyms
  • palm tree

    the full compound; identical meaning

Usage Note

Frequently used in compounds: 'palm tree', 'coconut palm', 'date palm', 'palm leaf', 'palm oil'. Saying just 'palm' (without 'tree') is common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

They planted a palm of tree.
They planted a palm tree.
use the compound 'palm tree' or simply 'palm'.

3. to study the lines and shapes on the inner surface of a person's hand in order t

3.nountransitive
Definition

to study the lines and shapes on the inner surface of a person's hand in order to predict things about who they are or what will happen to them.

Example

An old fortune teller palmed Diego and traced the line for a happy marriage.

palm + person (object)

Grandma Rosa palmed her grandchildren each New Year, reading lines for a lucky future.

habitual past tense; reading lines for predictions

Common collocations
  • palm someone
  • have your palm read
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

palm + someone (informal: read someone's palm)

Usage Note

Rare as a verb — most speakers say 'read someone's palm' or 'do palm reading' instead. Object is always a person.

Common Mistakes

She palmed my future.
She palmed me and told me my future.
the object is the person whose hand is being read, not the future itself.
Idioms

cross somebody’s palm with silver

idiom

To pay someone money, often to a fortune teller, in exchange for a service or favor.

Maya crossed the old woman's palm with silver to hear her future.

Did you cross his palm with silver before he agreed to help?

grease somebody’s palm

idiom

To give someone money secretly in order to get them to do something illegal or dishonest.

The contractor greased the inspector's palm to pass the faulty wiring.

If you grease his palm, he might ignore the missing documents.

have somebody in the palm of your hand

idiom

To have complete control or influence over someone, so they do what you want.

The charismatic leader had the entire crowd in the palm of his hand.

Sara's charm had her boss in the palm of her hand during the meeting.

palm — verb

Word family

  • palmist
    noun
  • palmistry
    noun
  • palmtop
    noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words refer to part or all of the structure at the end of the human arm, but they describe different views of it. 'Hand' is the broadest term, covering the whole structure including fingers, thumb, and both surfaces. 'Palm' refers only to the soft inner surface from the wrist to the base of the fingers — the side you turn upward when offering or receiving something. 'Fist' is the shape your hand takes when the fingers are tightly curled inward, often signalling anger, threat, or determination. So you 'wash your hands', 'hold a coin in your palm', and 'shake your fist' at someone — each word fits its own scene.

palm ↗hand ↗fist ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • palm tree
  • palm leaf
  • palm oil
  • coconut palm
  • date palm
  • palm reading

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in the palm of your hand
  • read someone's palm
  • have sweaty palms
  • palms together

Prepositions

  • in (the palm of)
  • on (the palm of)
  • across (the palm)

Etymology

LatinOld French / Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Both main meanings of 'palm' come from the same Latin root 'palma', which referred to both the flat of the hand and the tropical tree. Romans saw a similarity between a spread human hand and the fan-shaped leaves at the top of the tree, so one word covered both. The word entered Old English as 'palm' (the tree) and reached Middle English again from Old French 'paume' (the hand). Over time English merged the two strands back into one spelling.