palate

play

noun pal·ate \ˈpa-lət\

Definition of palate

1 : the roof of the mouth separating the mouth from the nasal cavity — see hard palate, soft palate
2a : a usually intellectual taste or liking too ornate for my palate … I heard a little too much preaching … and lost my palate for it. — George Eliotb : the sense of taste serves Korean food adapted for the American palate

See palate defined for English-language learners

See palate defined for kids

Examples of palate in a Sentence

The restaurant serves Korean food adapted for the American palate.
She's been working hard on a menu that will please the palates of all her guests.

Recent Examples of palate from the Web

Plump raspberries, sweet and spicy pecans, and pickled onions ensured all aspects of the palate were pleased and crumbled feta imparted a bit of creaminess to the compilation.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Wiltshire At The Speed should not be missed | Review", 21 June 2017
In between courses, we were given a palate cleansing dollop of blood orange sorbet.

— jared boyd, AL.com, "Alabama's Best Steakhouses: FIRE Steakhouse in Wetumpka", 18 June 2017
This inky, hearty rosé is a palate-pleaser for those who like something with earthy and meaty flavors.

— victoria james, Cosmopolitan, "10 Reasons to Drink Rosé Right This Second", 9 June 2017
Small, simple and apparently non-functional post-canine teeth are present and the bony palate is short.

— darren naish, Scientific American Blog Network, "Incredible Elephant Seals, Part 1", 3 June 2017
For a more adventurous palate, Little Sheep Hot Pot is taking the 1170 Iroquois Ave.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Slew of new food options expected for Naperville", 2 June 2017
Our radicchio and endive salad toyed with the palate, with sweet gorgonzola, pine nuts, balsamic and honey battling black olives, roasted red peppers and extra-virgin olive oil to a pleasing draw.

— kendall hamersly, miamiherald, "First date, Marlins game, happy happy hour: This restaurant caters to all of them", 31 May 2017
Better to use your own palate to measure the balance of flavors in a tomato sauce than a recipe written by someone using different tomatoes from a different farm.

— jenny rosenstrach, New York Times, "Lemon White Pizza, Smothered Pork Chops, Pea Guacamole: 10 Takes on What to Cook This Summer", 29 May 2017
El Birdos Cantina satisfied his palate – and his play.

— c jackson cowart, charlotteobserver, "Superstitions, camaraderie & burritos put Davidson baseball in its first NCAA Regional", 28 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'palate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of palate

Middle English, from Latin palatum

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

PALATE Defined for English Language Learners

palate

play

noun

Definition of palate for English Language Learners

: the top part of the inside of your mouth : the roof of your mouth
: the sense of taste

PALATE Defined for Kids

palate

play

noun pal·ate \ˈpa-lət\

Definition of palate for Students

1 : the top area of the inside of the mouth made up of a bony front part (hard palate) and a soft flexible back part (soft palate)
2 : the sense of taste This is too spicy for my palate.