palm tree

palm tree — noun

1. a tall tree with a long, unbranched trunk and large, fan-shaped or feather-like

1.nounA2
Definition

a tall tree with a long, unbranched trunk and large, fan-shaped or feather-like leaves growing from its top, found mainly in warm, tropical places

Example

The Watanabe family rested under a tall palm tree on the beach in Okinawa.

collocation: under a palm tree

Many streets in the southern part of the city are lined with palm trees.

passive: be lined with palm trees

Common collocations
  • tall palm tree
  • swaying palm tree
  • lined with palm trees
  • under a palm tree
  • climb a palm tree
  • palm tree on the beach
Synonyms
  • palm

    the shortened form; 'palm tree' is more explicit, while 'palm' is common in gardening and travel writing ('a cluster of palms')

Usage Note

The shorter form 'palm' is very common and can refer to the same tree; 'palm tree' is preferred when the context involves the hand (to avoid confusion with 'palm of the hand'). In travel, geography, and gardening writing, these trees appear with collocations such as 'tall', 'swaying', 'lined with', and 'under a'.

Common Mistakes

I planted a palm in my garden' (when meaning the tree).
I planted a palm tree in my garden.
'palm' alone can mean the tree, but 'palm tree' is clearer for learners.
The road was full of palm trees on both sides.
The road was lined with palm trees on both sides.
'lined with' is the natural collocation for streets bordered by trees.

Etymology

LatinOld EnglishFrenchEnglish

The word 'palm' comes from Latin 'palma', which originally meant the palm of the hand — probably because the tree's spreading leaves resemble an open hand. 'Palm tree' combines this with 'tree' for clarity. English adopted the Latin word through Old English and later French influences.