What does palmer mean?
Palmer most commonly denotes a medieval or early modern pilgrim, particularly a traveller who went to the Holy Land and returned carrying a palm branch. The branch was a recognized emblem of pilgrimage, so the word came to suggest a seasoned religious traveller rather than an ordinary tourist. In older English, palmer could also refer to a swindler or confidence trickster, though that sense is now obsolete. The word survives mainly in historical texts, literary works, and specialized discussion of medieval pilgrimage. Its modern interest lies in the way it preserves an old cultural marker: the palm branch once functioned as a practical and symbolic record of a difficult journey. Although palmer can sometimes be used more broadly for a wandering pilgrim, its strongest historical association is specifically with pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
A pilgrim, especially one who travelled to the Holy Land and carried a palm branch as a sign of having completed the pilgrimage.
"The manuscript includes a picture of a palmer holding a palm branch."
Chiefly historical and literary; the specific association is with pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
An obsolete term for a swindler, trickster, or dishonest person.
"The play accused the palmer of cheating the townspeople."
Obsolete in modern English and chiefly found in older literature.
The standard plural of the historical noun meaning a pilgrim or, in older usage, a swindler.
"Several palmers gathered at the monastery before dawn."
A palmer's palm branch was a pilgrim's passport: it proclaimed a journey to the Holy Land and the return home again.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does palmer come from?
The word comes through Anglo-French palmer from Late Latin palmarius, meaning a pilgrim or pilgrim's guide, derived from Latin palma, “palm.” In medieval usage, a palmer was identified by the palm branch carried as a sign of a completed pilgrimage. The word is related to English palm and other forms from the same Latin root, including palmar, palmate, and the French-derived palmier.
How palmer is actually used
Palmer is now chiefly historical or literary. The pilgrim sense is the best known; the criminal sense is obsolete and mainly appears in older literature.
Easily confused with palmer
A palmer is a historical pilgrim, whereas a palmier is a crescent-shaped pastry made from layered puff dough.