• (RP) IPA: /ˈpɑːmə/
• (GA) IPA: /ˈpɑːmɚ/

palmer (plural palmers)

1. (now, historical) A pilgrim who had been to the Holy Land and who brought back a palm branch in signification; a wandering religious votary.
   • 1674, Thomas Staveley, The Romish horseleech : or, an impartial account of the intolerable charge of Popery to this nation, p. 93:

     The Pilgrim had some home or dwelling place, the Palmer had none. The Pilgrim travelled to some certain, designed place or places, but the Palmer to all. The Pilgrim went as his own charge, but the Palmer professed wilful poverty and went upon alms.

   • 1820, John Keats, “Isabella; or, The Pot of Basil. A Story from Boccaccio.”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: Printed [by Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], OCLC 927360557 ↗, stanza I, page 49 ↗:

     Fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel! / Lorenzo, a young palmer in Love's eye! / They could not in the self-same mansion dwell / Without some stir of heart, some malady; [...]

2. (archaic) Abbreviation of palmerworm#English|palmerworm.

palmer (plural palmers)

1. A ferule used to punish schoolboys by striking their palms.

palmer (plural palmers)

1. One who palms or cheats, as at cards or dice.

1. Surname
2. A city/borough seat in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska.
3. A male given name.