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Glite Dictionary
Sabal palmetto

Sabal palmetto

8.1
A palm tree with fan-shaped leaves that grows along the southern US coast
  • noun
  • /ˈsɑːbəl pælˈmɛtoʊ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : palmetto sabal
  • The Sabal palmetto is the state tree of South Carolina and Florida.

Examples

  • Many coastal landscapes are dotted with tall Sabal palmetto trees.

  • Local cuisines sometimes use the heart of the Sabal palmetto in salads.

  • The Sabal palmetto is the state tree of South Carolina.

  • Many Sabal palmettos grow along the coastal areas.

  • Many coastal landscapes are dotted with tall Sabal palmetto trees.

  • The Sabal palmetto is the state tree of South Carolina and Florida.

  • Local cuisines sometimes use the heart of the Sabal palmetto in salads.

Synonyms

cabbage palmetto
vsSabal palmetto
  • US
8.2

A low palm tree with fan-shaped leaves and an edible heart

is the scientific species name while the other is a common alternative name

Surface Forms

Sabal palmetto singular
Sabal palmettos plural

Morphology

Sabal + palmetto

Both constituents ('Sabal' as a palm genus and 'palmetto' as a type of palm) directly indicate a kind of palm tree, so a learner who knows those words can infer that this is a species of palm. Although the precise species identity or local uses may be unfamiliar, the core meaning 'a palm tree' is compositionally transparent and follows normal taxonomic naming patterns.

Etymology

Sabal palmetto comes from the group name Sabal and the word palmetto, which means 'little palm' in Spanish. People call it 'cabbage palmetto' because the soft inner bud, the 'heart', can be eaten like cabbage, so the name fits a coastal palm with fan-shaped leaves and an edible center.