A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Palmester, Palmystar, n. [e.m.E. palmester (1565), -ister, also palmestrer (1561). Like Palmestry, f. Palm(e n.2 The suffix is appar. the agent-noun ending -ster (as in baxter baker, etc.). Appar. parallels for both formations are bangster and bangstrie, hukstar and ME. hoxterye, e.m.E. hucksterie, and e.m.E. gamester (Sc. gemster) and gamestry.] A cheiromancer, palmister. —a1568 P. Johnstoun or ? a1568 Henr. Bann. MS. 58 a/43. ?
This questioun quha can obsolue lat see Quhat phisnamour or perfyt palmester [: gentillar, lare, repair; M. palmystar]
