palindrome

noun

pal·in·drome ˈpa-lən-ˌdrōm

: a word, verse, or sentence (such as "Able was I ere I saw Elba") or a number (such as 1881) that reads the same backward or forward

palindromic

ˌpa-lən-ˈdrō-mik

-ˈdrä-

adjective

palindromist

ˈpa-lən-ˌdrō-mist

noun

Did you know?

Palindrome comes from Greek palindromos, meaning "running back again," which itself is from palin ("back," "again") and dramein ("to run"). Nowadays, we appreciate a clever palindrome—such as "Drab as a fool, aloof as a bard" or "A man, a plan, a canal: Panama"—or even a simple one like "race car," but in the past palindromes were more than just smart wordplay. Some folks thought they were magical, and they carved them on walls or amulets for protection.

Examples of palindrome in a Sentence

The word “dad” and the number “1881” are palindromes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What about the sum of two primes, or primes that form palindromes that read the same forward and backwards? —

David Szondy, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2024 But a guess of ZIP, ENERGY, FOCUS and PEP was way off, especially considering that, as logic dictated, PEP was one of the palindromes. —

Kris Holt, Forbes, 12 Sep. 2024 Here are some of our other favorite online reactions to the (puff, puff, pass) palindrome. —

Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 20 Apr. 2024 This year's 4/20 festivities will fall on a rare calendar event known as a palindrome. —

Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for palindrome