Palate, Palette, or Pallet?

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Palate, Palette, or Pallet?

"Palate," "palette," and "pallet" are easy to confuse because they sound identical (i.e., they are perfect homonyms). However, their meanings are very different.
  • "Palate" is the roof of a mouth. For example:
    • Some consonants are created by raising the tongue against the palate.
  • "Palette" is the board where artists mix their paint. For example:
    • Monet used a limited palette, banishing all browns and black.
  • "Pallet" is a flat platform for loading goods. For example:
    • Please move that pallet of bricks back to where it was.
palate, palette, or pallet difference
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More about "Palate," "Palette," and "Pallet"

Despite quite different spellings, "palate," "palette," and "pallet" sound the same, making them homophones (a type of homonym).

Palate

The noun "palate" is the roof of the mouth in humans and other mammals. The flavor of a food (particularly beer or wine) is sometimes referred to as a palate (e.g., a fruity palate).

Example sentences with "palate":
  • If you're able to taste slight nuances in food, then you have a well-developed palate.
  • In reality, there are no taste sensors on the palate.

Palette

The noun "palette" is a flat board on which a painter arranges and mixes paints.

Example sentences with "palette":
  • On an artist's palette, there is one colour which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love. (Artist Marc Chagall)
  • You seem to have a lot of red on your palette. Are you planning to shoot the model?

Pallet

The noun "pallet" is a flat wooden structure that supports goods. A "pallet" is typically made of wood and designed to be lifted by forklift trucks.

Example sentences with "pallet":
  • Loads with pallets under them can be hauled by forklift trucks or by pallet jacks.
  • Discarded wooden pallets cannot be used for firewood or crafts.

Common Terms with "Palate," "Palette," and "Pallet"

Common terms with the word "palate":
  • soft palate
  • hard palate
  • cleft palate
  • palate cleanser
  • palate ulcer
  • palate of the mouth
  • refined palate
  • fruity palate
Common terms with the word "palette":
  • colour palette
  • make up palette
  • palette knife
  • artist's palette
  • eyeshadow palette
  • palette painting
Common terms with the word "pallet":
  • pallet truck
  • pallet delivery
  • pallet storage
  • pallet of bricks, cement, or blocks
  • pallet recycling
  • wooden pallet
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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are nouns? What are verbs? List of easily confused words