palette

noun

pal·​ette ˈpa-lət 
1
: a thin oval or rectangular board or tablet that a painter holds and mixes pigments on
2
a
: the set of colors put on the palette
b(1)
: a particular range, quality, or use of color
The designer's palette consisted mostly of earth tones.
(2)
: a comparable range, quality, or use of available elements
a rich palette of tones and timbres
a palette of flavors
a palette of vegetables

Examples of palette in a Sentence

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.
Bi’s look is very well made but a little one-note with the all-red palette. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Caramel Flan Highlights While gourmand color combinations aren’t necessary for autumnal hair palettes, Giannetos couldn’t be more spot on with this creation. — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026 Hsu’s argument for why the near-monochrome restaurant doesn’t go flat is that the palette itself runs on tension, with the statement-making veined marble behind the point-of-sale area set against rough plaster walls. — Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026 Think minimal yet colorful wallpaper, moody color palettes, canopy beds, and most importantly, that warm fuzzy feeling that just keeps bubbling up. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for palette

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, diminutive of pale spade, from Latin pala; probably akin to Latin pangere to fix — more at pact

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of palette was in 1622

Phrases Containing palette

Rhymes for palette

See All Rhymes for palette

Browse Nearby Words

pale touch-me-not
palette
palette cup
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Palette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palette. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

palette

noun
pal·​ette ˈpal-ət 
1
: a thin usually oval board or tablet with a hole for the thumb at one end used by a painter to lay and mix pigments on
2
: the colors put on the palette
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All