palindrome

[ pal-in-drohm ]
/ ˈpæl ɪnˌdroʊm /

noun

a word, line, verse, number, sentence, etc., reading the same backward as forward, as Madam, I'm Adam or Poor Dan is in a droop.
Biochemistry. a region of DNA in which the sequence of nucleotides is identical with an inverted sequence in the complementary strand: GAATTC is a palindrome of CTTAAG.

Origin of palindrome

1620–30; < Greek palíndromos recurring, equivalent to pálin again, back + -dromos running (see -drome)

OTHER WORDS FROM palindrome

pa·lin·dro·mist [puh-lin-droh-mist] /pəˈlɪn droʊ mɪst/, noun pal·in·drom·ic [pal-in-drom-ik, -droh-mik] /ˌpæl ɪnˈdrɒm ɪk, -ˈdroʊ mɪk/, pal·in·drom·i·cal, adjective pal·in·drom·i·cal·ly, adverb

Example sentences from the Web for palindrome

British Dictionary definitions for palindrome

palindrome
/ (ˈpælɪnˌdrəʊm) /

noun

a word or phrase the letters of which, when taken in reverse order, give the same word or phrase, such as able was I ere I saw Elba

Derived forms of palindrome

palindromic (ˌpælɪnˈdrɒmɪk), adjective

Word Origin for palindrome

C17: from Greek palindromos running back again, from palin again + -drome

Medical definitions for palindrome

palindrome
[ pălĭn-drōm′ ]

n.

A segment of double-stranded DNA in which the nucleotide sequence of one strand reads in reverse order to that of the complementary strand.

Other words from palindrome

pal′in•dromic (-drōmĭk, -drŏmĭk) adj.