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

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

Word History

Etymology

Greek palindromos running back again, from palin back, again + dramein to run; akin to Greek polos axis, pole — more at pole, dromedary

First Known Use

circa 1637, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

palindrome

noun

pal·​in·​drome ˈpal-ən-ˌdrōm 

: a word, phrase, or sentence (as "Step on no pets") or a number (as 1881) that reads the same backward or forward

Medical Definition

palindrome

noun

pal·​in·​drome ˈpal-ən-ˌdrōm 

: a palindromic sequence of DNA