Today's Word: Palimpsest

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July 15, 2025

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Palimpsest (PAL-imp-sest) (noun): Something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form.

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New York is a palimpsest, a city written, erased, and rewritten on itself, layer after layer of history and dreams.

— Colson Whitehead, The Colossus of New York

SMARTER INSIGHT
Palimpsest isn’t just about ancient manuscripts scraped and rewritten. It’s a powerful metaphor for cities, cultures, even personal growth. We all carry the layers of our past into our present.

USE IT TODAY
Reflect on the palimpsest of your own life. What old writing still shows through? Or try describing your hometown as a palimpsest in conversation.

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