Word
parchment
Phoneticsparch·ment, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɑɹtʃmənt/
UK/pˈɑːtʃmənt/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a thick, strong paper made from animal skin that people used for writing in the past. Today, you might see it in old books or use a modern version for baking.
n. a writing material made from the processed skins of animals, primarily sheep, goats, or calves. In modern culinary contexts, refers to a grease-resistant paper used in baking.
Examples
“The old map was drawn on thick parchment.”
“The museum displayed a medieval parchment that had survived for over seven hundred years in a dry stone vault.”
“While papyrus was common in the ancient Mediterranean, parchment became the preferred medium for European scribes due to its durability and the ability to scrape away errors.”
Examples
simple
“The old map was drawn on thick parchment.”
contextual
“The museum displayed a medieval parchment that had survived for over seven hundred years in a dry stone vault.”
complex
“While papyrus was common in the ancient Mediterranean, parchment became the preferred medium for European scribes due to its durability and the ability to scrape away errors.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the material in general; countable when referring to a specific historical document.
Real-World Examples
“His pale, almost translucently white skin was stretched across the bones of his face like parchment.” “Written on parchment, these copies were made more than 1,000 years after the earliest fragments.” Etymology
From Middle English parchemyn, parchement, from Old French parchemin, via Latin pergamīna, from Ancient Greek Περγαμηνός (Pergamēnós, “of Pergamon”), which is named for the ancient city of Pergamon (modern Bergama) in Asia Minor, where it was invented as an expensive alternative for papyrus. Cognate with Danish pergament, Dutch perkament, French parchemin, German Pergament, Greek περγαμηνή (pergaminí), Italian pergamena, Norwegian pergament, Portuguese pergaminho, Galician pergameo, Romanian pergament, Russian пергамент (pergament), Spanish pergamino, and Swedish pergament.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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