This noun denotes palm branches or fronds, the leafy boughs of palm trees. John describes the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem (John 12:13): they took 'palm branches' (βάϊα) and went out to meet Him, shouting 'Hosanna!' The gesture recalls the Feast of Tabernacles, when Israelites waved palm fronds in celebration, and evokes messianic expectation. Classical usage includes both palm branches and measuring rods. John's scene is loaded with irony: the crowd acclaims Jesus as king with symbols of victory and festival, unaware that His kingship will be realized not through military triumph but through crucifixion.