Definition

Proper noun 1. A botanical family of plants: "Palm family" is the common name for the family Arecaceae (formerly Palmae). It is a family of perennial flowering plants, most of which are trees, characterized by a tall, unbranched trunk (or sometimes a climbing vine form) topped with a crown of large, evergreen leaves called fronds.

Usage Notes

• The term "palm family" is used in botany, horticulture, and general descriptions of tropical and subtropical flora.
• It refers to the entire taxonomic family, not a single species. When referring to an individual plant, you would use the specific name (e.g., coconut palm, date palm) or the general term "palm tree."
• The scientific name is now preferred over the older name in modern botanical classification.

Examples

• In botany: "The palm family includes economically important species like the coconut and the date palm."
• In description: "The landscape was dominated by members of the palm family, their tall trunks and feathery fronds silhouetted against the sky."
• In classification: "Botanists study the evolution and diversity within the palm family."

Advanced Usage

• "Representative of the palm family": used to describe a plant that is a typical example of this family's characteristics.
  • The Canary Island date palm is often cited as a classic representative of the palm family.

Variants and Related Words

• Arecaceae (n): The modern scientific name for the palm family.
• Palmae (n): The former scientific name for the palm family, still encountered in older texts.
• Palm (n): A common name for any plant belonging to the palm family (e.g., a coconut palm).
• Palm tree (n): A common term for a tree species within the palm family.

Synonyms

• Family Arecaceae: The formal synonym.
• Palms: A common, collective term for plants in this family.

Related Terms (Contextual)

• Frond: The large, divided leaf characteristic of many palms.
• Tropical: A climate zone where many species from the palm family are native.
• Monocot: A major group of flowering plants to which the palm family belongs.

Noun

1. chiefly tropical trees and shrubs and vines usually having a tall columnar trunk bearing a crown of very large leaves; coextensive with the order Palmales