Impalm
/ɪmˈpɑːm/noun
To hold, place, or conceal something in the palm of the hand.
Did you know?Because the palm was historically associated with fate-reading and palmistry, to impalm something could evoke the old symbolic idea of placing an object directly into the hand that supposedly shapes destiny.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pl̥h₂meh₂
“Palm or flat surface of the hand; a reconstructed root associated with the open hand”
Ancient Greek
Greek
palámē
“Palm of the hand; hand as an instrument of skill or power”
Classical Latin
Latin
palma
“Palm of the hand; also the palm tree, named for the shape of its leaves”
Middle English
English
enpalmen
“To place in the palm or take into the hand”
15th Century
English
impalm
“To hold or conceal in the palm of the hand”
Modern English
English
impalm
“An archaic or rare verb meaning to hold something in the palm”
Explore more surprising origins