palatable

1 of 2

adjective

pal·​at·​able ˈpa-lə-tə-bəl 

1

: agreeable to the palate or taste

The restaurant's chicken dishes are quite palatable.

2

: agreeable or acceptable to the mind

attempted to make physics palatable to a broader range of students

palatability

ˌpa-lə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

palatableness noun

palatably

ˈpa-lə-tə-blē 

adverb

palatability

2 of 2

noun

pal·​at·​abil·​i·​ty ˌpalə̇təˈbilətē 

-alə̇təˈbilətē, 

-i

: the quality or state of being palatable

Did you know?

How should you use palatable?

It may be a coincidence that you can’t spell the word palatable without all of the letters in plate (the two words are etymologically unrelated), but this fact may help you remember that palatable is synonymous with a host of words that can describe an enjoyable meal, from tasty to toothsome. Alternatively, you could just stick your finger in your mouth and touch the roof of your mouth, aka your palate. As the palate was once considered the seat of one’s sense of taste, so the word palate eventually came to refer to both a literal and figurative sense of taste (as in “architecture too ornate for my palate”). The adjective palatable arose from palate (via the now-rare verb palate defined in our Unabridged dictionary as “to taste or relish”) in the 17th century, and functions similarly. Seasonings from adobo to za’atar make food more palatable, certainly, but ideas and advice can be made more palatable, too. As a wise woman once sang, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

Synonyms of palatable

Adjective

• OK
• fine
• alright
• satisfactory
• agreeable
• acceptable
• good
• pleasing

Choose the Right Synonym for palatable

palatable, appetizing, savory, tasty, toothsome mean agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste.

palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable.

butterflies that birds find palatable

appetizing suggests a whetting of the appetite and applies to aroma and appearance as well as taste.

appetizing hors d'oeuvres

savory applies to both taste and aroma and suggests piquancy and often spiciness.

dumplings with savory fillings

tasty implies a pronounced taste.

a tart and tasty pie

toothsome stresses the notion of agreeableness and sometimes implies tenderness or daintiness.

an enticing array of toothsome desserts

Examples of palatable in a Sentence

Adjective

a less than palatable beer

I did not find the idea of moving again very palatable.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Warning buyers beforehand of unnamed price rises made all of that more palatable. — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Trump later nominated Clayton, a more palatable option for Democrats, to serve in the post long-term. — Caitlin Reilly, Fortune, 17 June 2026

Last week, several legislative tweaks made the plan more palatable to City Council members. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 16 June 2026

Tinder and other apps made online dating more palatable for an entire generation by reinventing it as a casual mobile experience. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for palatable

• unpalatable

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Kids Definition

palatable

adjective

pal·​at·​able ˈpal-ət-ə-bəl 

1

: agreeable to the taste

2

: agreeable sense 1, acceptable

palatability

ˌpal-ət-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

palatably

ˈpal-ət-ə-blē 

adverb