parchemin

parchment

noun par-shuh-MAN Rare

Origin: Latin 'pergamena' (from Pergamon, city where it was made)

Also means

parchment manuscript

Usage Note

Parchemin refers to the prepared animal skin used as a writing surface in medieval manuscripts, as well as to the documents written on it. In modern colloquial French, parchemins (plural) can informally mean academic diplomas or certificates, much like 'credentials' in English. Peau de parchemin describes aged, papery skin.

Examples

"Le moine rédigeait sur un parchemin."

Natural Translation

The monk was writing on a parchment.

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