What does "palmyra" mean?
A palm (Borassus flabellifer) with straight black upright trunk and palmate leaves, whose wood, fruit, and roots can be used for many purposes.
Palmyra
/pælˈmaɪɹə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A palm (Borassus flabellifer) with straight black upright trunk and palmate leaves, whose wood, fruit, and roots can be used for many purposes.
- Grammar: palmyra is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: palmyra palm, toddy palm, ancient palmyra, ancient tadmor.
- Useful contrasts: modern city, new town.
- Usage evidence: In the mid-fifth century B.C. Herodotus (1:131; 3.8) mentioned the importance of the cult of Al-Ilât, i.e. Allat, in ancient Arabia. Her sanctuary at Palmyra (Pl. XVII), excavated in the 1970s by the Polish mission, is in the neighborhood of the temple of Baal Shamin and lends a special character to the city's western quarter, in which Arab tribes settled during the second century B.C.
How to use "palmyra"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "palmyra" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "palmyra" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "palmyra" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "palmyra" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "palmyra palm" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A palm (Borassus flabellifer) with straight black upright trunk and palmate leaves, whose wood, fruit, and roots can be used for many purposes.
- 2 tall fan palm of Africa and India and Malaysia yielding a hard wood and sweet sap that is a source of palm wine and sugar; leaves used for thatching and weaving wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 An ancient city, an oasis in the Syrian Desert, in present-day central Syria, recorded historically from around 2000 BCE, subsequently subject to various empires and destroyed in 273 CE and again in 1400, when it was reduced to a village.
"In the mid-fifth century B.C. Herodotus (1:131; 3.8) mentioned the importance of the cult of Al-Ilât, i.e. Allat, in ancient Arabia. Her sanctuary at Palmyra (Pl. XVII), excavated in the 1970s by the Polish mission, is in the neighborhood of the temple of Baal Shamin and lends a special character to the city's western quarter, in which Arab tribes settled during the second century B.C."
- 2 A city, the county seat of Marion County, Missouri, United States.
- 3 A census-designated place, the county seat of Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States.
- 4 A number of townships in the United States, listed under Palmyra Township.
Synonyms
All synonyms palmyra palmtoddy palmancient palmyraancient tadmorborassus flabelliferlongar palm
Antonyms
modern citynew town
Example
"In the mid-fifth century B.C. Herodotus (1:131; 3.8) mentioned the importance of the cult of Al-Ilât, i.e. Allat, in ancient Arabia. Her sanctuary at Palmyra (Pl. XVII), excavated in the 1970s by the Polish mission, is in the neighborhood of the temple of Baal Shamin and lends a special character to the city's western quarter, in which Arab tribes settled during the second century B.C."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "palmyra"?
Common synonyms include: palmyra palm, toddy palm, ancient palmyra, ancient tadmor, borassus flabellifer, longar palm.
How do you use "palmyra" in a sentence?
In the mid-fifth century B.C. Herodotus (1:131; 3.8) mentioned the importance of the cult of Al-Ilât, i.e. Allat, in ancient Arabia. Her sanctuary at Palmyra (Pl. XVII), excavated in the 1970s by the Polish mission, is in the neighborhood of the temple of Baal Shamin and lends a special character to the city's western quarter, in which Arab tribes settled during the second century B.C.
How do you pronounce "palmyra"?
Pronounced /pælˈmaɪɹə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Ancient Greek Παλμύρα (Palmúra). For more see Palmyra on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Etymology 2
From Portuguese palmeira (“palm tree”), from palma (“palm, palm tree”) + -eria (“-tree: forming tree names”), from Old Galician-Portuguese -eira (“-plant: forming plant names from their fruit”), from Latin -āria (“-ary: forming feminine nouns including plant names”).