Palate
/ˈpæl.ət/noun
The roof of the mouth; also, a person's sense of taste or preference for certain flavors.
Did you know?English *palate* ultimately comes from Latin *palatum*, the roof of the mouth, and its deep history is tied to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to spread out” or “flat,” not to anything mystical at all—yet it still became the word we use for refined taste and discernment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pl̥th₂-
“A root meaning “flat” or “to spread out.””
Latin
Latin
palatum
“The roof of the mouth; the palate.”
Old French
Old French
palat
“The palate.”
Middle English
English
palate
“The roof of the mouth; later, taste or liking.”
Modern English
English
palate
“The roof of the mouth; figuratively, a person's sense of taste or preference.”