— parchmentlike, parchmenty , adj.
/pahrch"meuhnt/ , n.
1. the skin of sheep, goats, etc., prepared for use as a material on which to write.
2. a manuscript or document on such material.
3. a stiff, off-white paper resembling this material.
4. a diploma.
[ 1275-1325; late ME parche Parthica ( pellis ) Parthian (leather) + -MENT (cf. ML percamentum, D perkament )); r. ME parchemin -min pergaminum, var. of PERGAMENUM, for LL Pergamena charta paper of PERGAMUM) ]