Chapter Palmerworm to Pamperer of P by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Palmerworm to Pamperer

Palmerworm
(Palm"er*worm`) n. (Zoöl.) (a) Any hairy caterpillar which appears in great numbers, devouring herbage, and wandering about like a palmer. The name is applied also to other voracious insects. Joel. i. 4. (b) In America, the larva of any one of several moths, which destroys the foliage of fruit and forest trees, esp. the larva of Ypsolophus pometellus, which sometimes appears in vast numbers.

Palmette
(Pal*mette") n. [F., dim. of palme a palm.] A floral ornament, common in Greek and other ancient architecture; — often called the honeysuckle ornament.

Palmetto
(Pal*met"to) n. [Dim. of palm the tree: cf. Sp. palmito.] (Bot.) A name given to palms of several genera and species growing in the West Indies and the Southern United States. In the United States, the name is applied especially to the Chamærops, or Sabal, Palmetto, the cabbage tree of Florida and the Carolinas. See Cabbage tree, under Cabbage.

Royal palmetto, the West Indian Sabal umbraculifera, the trunk of which, when hollowed, is used for water pipes, etc. The leaves are used for thatching, and for making hats, ropes, etc. — Saw palmetto, Sabal serrulata, a native of Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. The nearly impassable jungle which it forms is called palmetto scrub.

Palmic
(Pal"mic) a. [Cf. F. palmique.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or derived from, the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi); — formerly used to designate an acid now called ricinoleic acid. [Obsoles.]

Palmidactyles
(||Pal`mi*dac"ty*les) n. pl. [NL. See Palm, and Dactyl.] (Zoöl.) A group of wading birds having the toes webbed, as the avocet.

Palmiferous
(Pal*mif"er*ous) a.[L. palmifer; palma a palm + ferre to bear: cf. F. palmifère.] Bearing palms.

Palmigrade
(Pal"mi*grade) a. [L. palma palm of the hand + gradi to walk.] (Zoöl.) Putting the whole foot upon the ground in walking, as some mammals.

Palmin
(Pal"min) n. [From palma Christi: cf. F. palmine.] (Chem.) (a) A white waxy or fatty substance obtained from castor oil. (b) Ricinolein. [Obs.]

Palmiped
(Pal"mi*ped) a.[L. palmipes, -edis, broad-footed; palma the palm of the hand + pes a foot; cf. F. palmipède.] (Zoöl.) Web-footed, as a water fowl. — n. A swimming bird; a bird having webbed feet.

Palmipedes
(||Pal*mip"e*des) n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) Same as Natatores.

Palmister
(Pal"mis*ter) n. [From Palm of the hand.] One who practices palmistry Bp. Hall.

Palmistry
(Pal`mis*try) n.[See Palmister.]

1. The art or practice of divining or telling fortunes, or of judging of character, by the lines and marks in the palm of the hand; chiromancy. Ascham. Cowper.

2. A dexterous use or trick of the hand. Addison.

Palmitate
(Pal"mi*tate) n. (Chem.) A salt of palmitic acid.

Palmite
(Pal"mite) n. [From Palm.] (Bot.) A South African plant (Prionium Palmita) of the Rush family, having long serrated leaves. The stems have been used for making brushes.