Palimpsest

Quick meaning: Palimpsest is a noun meaning (astronomy) Circular features believed to be lunar craters that have been obliterated by later volcanic activity.

Meaning

(astronomy) Circular features believed to be lunar craters that have been obliterated by later volcanic activity.

More Meanings

1. (geology) Geological features thought to be related to features or effects below the surface.
2. (computing) Memory that has been erased and re-written.
3. (cultural studies) The partial erasure of or superimposition on an older society or culture by a newer one.
4. Something bearing the traces of an earlier, erased form.
5. A text with several layers of meaning, especially pertaining to different points in time.
6. 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.
7. (archaic) Monumental brasses that have been reused by engraving of the blank back side.

Example Sentences

But on her he did not see even the palimpsest of a smile.

Typically refers to a multi-layered work, e.g.: new ads covering old on a roadside sign.

I also agree there's more instrumental development that needs doing. For all we know there's a fourth layer to the palimpsest.

... with the multilingual portmanteau words and phrases giving the text the quality of a palimpsest upon which multiple layers of textual meaning can be simultaneously detected.

Word Forms

• palimpsests
• palimpsesting
• palimpsested

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include papyrus, papyrograph, parchment, scratchpad, bookfell, handwrit.

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