parch·ment / ˈpärchmənt/ • n. a stiff, flat, thin material made from the prepared skin of an animal and used as a durable writing surface in ancient and medieval times. ∎  a manuscript written on this material: a large collection of ancient parchments. ∎  (also parchment paper) a type of stiff translucent paper treated to resemble parchment and used for lampshades, as a writing surface, and in baking. ∎ inf. a diploma or other formal document.

parchment XIII. ME. parchemin — (O)F.:- Rom. *particamīnum, which resulted from a blending of L. pergamīna ‘writing-material prepared from skins invented at Pergamum in Asia Minor’ with Parthica pellis ‘Parthian skin’. Assimilation of the ending of the Eng. word to the suffix -MENT appears XV.

parchment a stiff, flat, thin material of a yellowish colour made from the prepared skin of an animal, usually a sheep or goat, and used as a durable writing surface in ancient and medieval times. Recorded from Middle English, the word comes via Old French from a blend of late Latin pergamina ‘writing material from Pergamum’ and Parthica pellis ‘Parthian skin’ (a kind of scarlet leather).