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

The whiskey is incredibly aromatic and robust on the palate, with an oily, viscous texture and a pronounced mouth weight. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

November’s report was expected to be a palate cleanser after October was muddied by temporary job losses due to back-to-back hurricanes as well as a large labor strike at Boeing. —Alicia Wallace, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

That’s strong but still very drinkable, with the signature Beam nuttiness on the palate along with notes of vanilla, caramel, oak, and spice. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2024

And then closing out the first half palate cleanser, like a watermelon granita, and coffee and tea. —Bon Appétit, 2 Dec. 2024

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

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