Palmate

Origin

From Latin palmatus ("hand-shaped"), by extension (as palma acquired the meaning "palm tree"), "palm-leaf shaped".

Full definition of palmate

Adjective

1. (chiefly botany) Having three or more lobes or veins arising from a common point.Although palmate leaves are typical of most Western maples, a number of species have leaves without lobes.
2. (botany) leaves Having more than three leaflets arising from a common point, often in the form of a fan.
• 1909, Eleanor Stockhouse Atkinson, "", The How and Why Library.The horse chestnut, buckeye and hickory trees have palmate leaves. That is, the broad oval leaflets are all set around the tip of a common leaf stem, spreading in a circle, like the ribs of a palm leaf fan.
3. (rare) Having webbed appendage; palmated.The Palmate Newt is a common Western European amphibian.
4. (rare) Hand-like; shaped like a hand with extended fingers

Usage notes

The word is rare outside of technical writing, and hardly ever qualify things other than leaves.

A compound leaf with more than three leaflets (trifoliate) radiating from the same point is more usually called palmate or palmately compound to avoid ambiguity.

While "palmated" is a more usual term when referring to webbed appendages. "Palmate" is often found in zoological nomenclature as the Latin term for both meanings is palmatus.

Noun

1. (chemistry) A salt or ester of ricinoleic acid (formerly called palmic acid); a ricinoleate.

Usage notes

Used primarily as part of the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients