palmation
(pælˈmeɪʃən)
[n. of action from palm v., and palmate a.: see -ation.]
† 1. The action of touching or feeling with the palm of the hand. Obs.
| 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 387/1 Palpation, or Palmation..by which the object is discovered to be either rough or smooth, hairy or naked. |
2. Nat. Hist. Palmate formation (as in the horns of a deer, the feet of a bird, etc.); concr. each of the divisions of a palmate structure.
| 1883 Chambers' Encycl. s.v. Deer, [Antlers] are renewed with increase of size, and of breadth of palmation. 1884–90 Cassell's Nat. Hist. III. 79 The gigantic Irish Deer, a species originally included with the Elk, on account of the palmation and outward inclination of its huge antlers. 1889 Sci. Amer. N.S. LXI. 296/1 The curious axis deer..its horns, when developed, will have no palmations. 1890 Coues Ornith. ii. iii. 194 The palmation is usually complete, extending to the ends of the toes. |