english word · 2026-08-22
Palimpsest
noun
Meaning
A piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain. It is often used figuratively to describe something that has diverse layers or aspects beneath the surface.
Etymology
From the Greek 'palimpsestos', meaning 'scraped again'.
Examples
"The historian viewed the old parchment as a palimpsest, discovering medieval prayers hidden beneath the 18th-century ledger entries."
"The city's architecture was a structural palimpsest, where glass skyscrapers stood atop the foundations of Victorian brickwork."
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