**Tricky Words: Palate, Palette, and Pallet**
**The definitions of Palate vs. Palette vs. Pallet**
When it comes to the English language, there are several tricky words that even the most seasoned speakers and writers can find confusing. One example of these tricky words are the homophones palate, palette, and pallet. In this article, we will discuss the correct usage of each word and provide some tricks to remember their definitions.
**Palate Definition**
Palate has two taste-oriented definitions. First, it refers to the roof of your mouth and your sense of taste and preferences. It is important not to confuse this with a palette, which is the board on which an artist mixes paints. On the other hand, a pallet is a large, wooden platform typically used for commercial purposes.
Palate also refers to taste, the sensory experience in your mouth when you eat something. It can also be used to describe aesthetic and intellectual preferences. The words taste and preference are synonyms of palate.
In addition, palate has a historical origin related to taste. In the late fourteenth century, people believed that all sensations of taste came from the roof of the mouth. This is why the Latin word “palatum,” from which palate is derived, meant both the roof of the mouth and taste. Although we now know that taste comes from the taste buds on the tongue, both definitions of palate have remained.
To remember when to use the word palate, it can be helpful to note that it ends with “ate.”
**Palette Definition**
Palette is an art-oriented word that refers to the board used by artists for displaying and mixing their paints while working. It is a flat board with a small hole on one side, where the artist can hold it with their thumb and rest it on their forearm. Palettes are usually made from wood, plastic, or another nonporous material.
Palette can also be used in computer design to refer to a color palette or a color look-up table (CLUT). In this context, colors are assigned numbers and organized in an index that can be used to replicate colors used in a design or create new ones.
Additionally, palette can also refer to a range of sounds and tones in music.
To illustrate, an artist can mix blues and yellows on the palette to create the perfect shade of green for their painting. Similarly, musicians can create a distinctive palette of tones and instruments in their music.
**Pallet Definition**
Pallets are platforms used for handling, storing, or moving materials. They are typically made out of wood. Pallet can also refer to a straw mattress or makeshift bed.
For example, workers may spend their day operating forklifts and moving heavy pallets from one delivery truck to another. In another scenario, someone might spend the night in a barn, sleeping on a pallet made of old burlap sacks.
To remember the correct usage of pallet, it can be helpful to note that the double “l” in the word visually resembles the structure of a pallet itself.
**Conclusion**
In conclusion, the words palate, palette, and pallet can be easily confused due to their similar sounds but distinct meanings. By understanding their definitions and applying some memory tricks, it becomes easier to use each word correctly. Palate refers to the roof of the mouth and taste, palette is an artist’s board for mixing paints or a range of tones, and pallet is a platform for handling or moving materials.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings