palatable

adjective

pal·​at·​able ˈpa-lə-tə-bəl How to pronounce palatable (audio)
1
: agreeable to the palate or taste
The restaurant's chicken dishes are quite palatable.
2
: agreeable or acceptable to the mind
attempted to make physics palatable to a broader range of students
palatability noun
palatableness noun
palatably adverb

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How should you use palatable?

Palatable comes from palate, a word for the roof of the mouth, which itself comes from Latin palatum. The palate was once thought of as the seat of the sense of taste, so the word eventually came to mean "sense of taste," or broadly, "liking."

Choose the Right Synonym for palatable

palatable, appetizing, savory, tasty, toothsome mean agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste.

palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable.

butterflies that birds find palatable

appetizing suggests a whetting of the appetite and applies to aroma and appearance as well as taste.

appetizing hors d'oeuvres

savory applies to both taste and aroma and suggests piquancy and often spiciness.

dumplings with savory fillings

tasty implies a pronounced taste.

a tart and tasty pie

toothsome stresses the notion of agreeableness and sometimes implies tenderness or daintiness.

an enticing array of toothsome desserts

Examples of palatable in a Sentence

a less than palatable beer I did not find the idea of moving again very palatable.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This approach not only makes the cost more palatable but also helps build confidence in AI’s ability to deliver results. Andy Kaiser, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 This may not exactly precipitate some tender moment where Halsey will bring her family out on stage for a bow, but the sheer honesty of the feelings about aging and mortality being expressed here is bracing — and palatable for being so tenderly expressed. Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024 However, in Japan, demand remains strong from urban redevelopment, and the first inflationary environment in quite a while should make passing on price increases more palatable. Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2024 Voters in 2022 rejected previous housing plans and the city went back to the drawing board and worked with residents to make a new proposal that was more palatable. Heather McRea, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for palatable 

Word History

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of palatable was in 1662

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Dictionary Entries Near palatable

Cite this Entry

“Palatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palatable. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

palatable

adjective
pal·​at·​able ˈpal-ət-ə-bəl How to pronounce palatable (audio)
1
: agreeable to the taste
2
palatability noun
palatably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on palatable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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