palm [OE] Although most dictionaries regard them as separate English words, palm meaning ‘a tropical tree’, and palm ‘the inner surface of the hand’ are from the same root, Latin palma ‘palm of the hand’, which is related to planus ‘flat’ (see plain). In ancient Rome a leaf or branch of a palm tree would be placed in the hands of the victor in a contest, from which the tree got its name. The sense ‘conceal’ dates from the late 17th century and comes from cheats who would palm a card to hide it from other players. Pelmet [M19th] is probably an alteration of French palmette, literally ‘small palm’, formerly a conventional ornament on window cornices.