palate

noun

pal·​ate ˈpa-lət 

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

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 on the Web

For Chicago palates in particular, that still means meat to some degree. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

From the city's wide variety of vegan food to being home to what USA TODAY called Nevada's best restaurant (Esther's Kitchen) for this year, there is no shortage of quality eateries in Las Vegas for every palate. — Carly Sauvageau, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

At the very least, Babies could be a good film-festival palate cleanser among the longer, heavier movies that make up much of the TIFF-goer’s schedule. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026

But at a Venice where fun has been in short supply, The Sprial, came as a welcome palate cleanser. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin palatum

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing palate

• cleanse the palate
• cleft palate
• hard palate
• soft palate

Rhymes for palate

• alate
• ballot
• fallot
• mallet
• palette
• pallet
• shallot

Kids Definition

palate

noun

pal·​ate ˈpal-ət 

1

: the roof of the mouth that separates the mouth from the nasal cavity and is made up of a bony front part and a soft flexible back part

2

: the sense of taste

Medical Definition

palate

noun

pal·​ate ˈpal-ət 

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