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

2 a :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 Eliot

b :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

The single malt, aged in Garry Oak and bottled at cask strength, has hints of baking spices on the nose with tropical fruits and cocoa on the palate.

— tan vinh, The Seattle Times, "The Seattle whiskey that won ‘Best American single malt’ is back in stores," 7 July 2017
The commemorative label outshines the nose and the palate.

— connie ogle, miamiherald, "Does wine go with baseball? We tried the MLB All-Star Game collection to find out," 6 July 2017
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
After a small bite to open our palate, our appetizers came out.

— jared boyd, AL.com, "Alabama's Best Steakhouses: FIRE Steakhouse in Wetumpka," 18 June 2017
Its sonic and lyrical palate colored in a vision of an impending dystopian near future, with its protagonists seething and recoiling from the oppressive ubiquity of technology.

— luke o'neil, Esquire, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Leaks?," 16 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

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

NEW! Time Traveler

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.

Medical Dictionary

palate

play

noun pal·ate \ ˈpal-ət \

medical Definition of palate

:the roof of the mouth separating the mouth from the nasal cavity — see hard palate, soft palate

Illustration of palate

Learn More about palate

See words that rhyme with palate Spanish Central: Translation of palate Nglish: Translation of palate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of palate for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about palate

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up palate? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

palate

Definition of palate

People Are Reading

Examples of palate in a Sentence

Recent Examples of palate from the Web

Origin and Etymology of palate

Other Anatomy Terms

Phrases Related to PALATE

Related Phrases

PALATE Defined for English Language Learners

palate

Definition of palate for English Language Learners

PALATE Defined for Kids

palate

Definition of palate for Students

Medical Dictionary

palate

medical Definition of palate

Illustration of palate

Learn More about palate

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066