The Archimedes Palimpsest, a work of the great Syracusan mathematician copied onto parchment in the 10th century and overwritten by a liturgical text in the 12th century.

The meaning of PALIMPSEST is writing material (such as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after earlier writing has been erased. How to use palimpsest in a sentence.

1 day ago · Word of the day: Language has a way of giving shape to ideas that extend beyond a single moment, and few words manage this as gracefully as palimpsest. Rooted in history yet rich in literary …

PALIMPSEST definition: a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text. See examples of palimpsest used in a sentence.

PALIMPSEST definition: 1. a very old text or document in which writing has been removed and covered or replaced by new…. Learn more.

There are ten meanings listed in OED's entry for the word palimpsest, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

A palimpsest is a document, usually from a scroll or a book, that has multiple layers of text on it. The initial layer was scraped or washed off, and the paper was reused.

palimpsest - Can describe a manuscript or writing surface that has been reused, erased, or altered while retaining traces of its earlier form—and, by extension, an object, place, or area that reflects its history.

PALIMPSEST meaning: 1 : a very old document on which the original writing has been erased and replaced with new writing; 2 : something that has changed over time and shows evidence of that …

Dec 29, 2025 · palimpsest (plural palimpsests) A manuscript or document that has been erased or scraped clean, for reuse of the paper, parchment, vellum, or other medium on which it was written.