palmer
n. countablen. a person who visited the Holy Land in the past and carried a palm branch as a sign of their trip. You might see this word in old stories or history books about travelers.
n. a medieval pilgrim who had returned from the Holy Land, typically carrying a palm branch as a token of the journey. Often used in historical or literary contexts to denote a specific class of religious traveler.
The palmer told stories of his long journey to the East.
In medieval literature, the palmer is often depicted as a weary but wise figure who has seen the world's holy sites.
Chaucer's prologue mentions palmers seeking strange strands, illustrating the social importance of the pilgrimage as both a spiritual duty and a form of early international travel.
From Middle English palmer (“a pilgrim from the Holy Land”), from Old French.
Primarily encountered in historical fiction, medieval studies, or archaic poetry.