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

Super sips To whet guests’ palates, the Tower Bridge Dinner didn’t have to look far to find the perfect pairings. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Burgundy should send you directly to the closest wine bar to test your palate. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026

But this 80-proof expression distilled on copper pot stills, a blend of three different marks (specific batches), is a versatile and tasty Jamaican white with notes of molasses, stone and tropical fruit, and a hint of dark chocolate on the palate. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026

Even with my wildly untrained palate, the wine floored me—round and rich, full of berries, cherries, and maybe even chocolate. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 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