Sago Palm
/ˈseɪɡoʊ pɑːm/noun
A palm-like plant, especially a cycad, or a true palm whose pith yields sago starch.
Did you know?The commonly sold “sago palm” is usually Cycas revoluta, a cycad rather than a true palm; its seeds and tissues are toxic unless carefully processed.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Malay
Malay
sagu
“Starchy substance obtained from the pith of certain palms”
16th Century
Portuguese
sago
“Sago starch, borrowed from Malay trade vocabulary”
Proto-Indo-European / Ancient Mediterranean
PIE / Greek
*pl̥h₂meh₂; palámē
“The hand or palm of the hand; the ancient association later extended to the broad-leaved palm tree”
Classical Latin
Latin
palma
“Palm of the hand; palm tree”
Old English
Old English
palme
“Palm tree or palm branch, borrowed through Latin and French religious vocabulary”
Modern English
English
sago palm
“A palm-like plant associated with sago, including true sago palms and cycads”