[pa.limp.sest] n [L palimpsestus, fr. Gk palimpsestos scraped again, fr. palin + psen to rub, scrape; akin to Skt psati, babhasti he chews] (1825) 1: writing material (as a parchment or tablet) used one or more times after earlier writing has been erased
2: something having usu. diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface