saw palmetto

noun

1

: any of several shrubby palms chiefly of the southern U.S. and West Indies that have spiny-toothed petioles

especially : a common palm (Serenoa repens) of the southeastern U.S. with a usually creeping stem

2

: a preparation derived from the berrylike fruit of a saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) that is held to have a therapeutic effect on the prostate gland and is used in dietary supplements and herbal remedies

Examples of saw palmetto in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Infused with biotin and saw palmetto (also known as Serena serrulata fruit extract), the product strengthens the hair and promotes growth. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024

Fitting that this show should wrap in northeast Florida, where live oak trees, pine, Sabal palm, saw palmetto, alligators, woodpeckers, and manatee connect the exhibition’s debut site in the North Carolina piedmont with its second stop, Miami, gateway to the Caribbean. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Baobab seed extract hydrates and strengthens the hair, kakadu plum boosts moisture and shine, and saw palmetto (an herbal ingredient) can plum thinning hair. —Jenny Berg, Allure, 20 Nov. 2024

It’s packed with a high-tech polymer blend that gives every strand some serious lift, plus lupine protein and saw palmetto extract to keep your scalp happy and balanced. —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

saw palmetto

noun

saw pal·​met·​to -pal-ˈmet-(ˌ)ō 

1

: any of several shrubby palms chiefly of the southern United States and West Indies with spiny-toothed leafstalks

especially : a common palm (Serenoa repens) of the southeastern United States with a usually creeping stem

2

: a preparation derived from the berrylike fruit of a saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) that is held to have a therapeutic effect on the prostate gland and is used in herbal remedies and dietary supplements

called also sabal