Definition & Meaning of "palindrome"

What is a "palindrome"?

A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or sequence of characters that reads the same forward and backward, disregarding spaces, punctuation, and capitalization. A simple example is the word "level," which remains "level" when spelled backward. Another example is the phrase "A man, a plan, a canal, Panama," which also reads the same in both directions when spaces and punctuation are ignored. Palindromes are interesting in linguistics and mathematics because they showcase unique patterns in language and numbers, revealing the playful aspects of word formation and sequencing.