soft palate


noun

See under palate(def 1).

Origin of soft palate

First recorded in 1805–15

Definition for soft palate (2 of 2)

palate
[ pal-it ]
/ ˈpæl ɪt /

noun

Anatomy. the roof of the mouth, consisting of an anterior bony portion (hard palate) and a posterior muscular portion (soft palate) that separate the oral cavity from the nasal cavity.
the sense of taste: a dinner to delight the palate.
intellectual or aesthetic taste; mental appreciation.

Origin of palate

1350–1400; Middle English palat < Latin palātum roof of the mouth

OTHER WORDS FROM palate

pal·ate·less, adjective pal·ate·like, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH palate

palate palette pallet

Example sentences from the Web for soft palate

British Dictionary definitions for soft palate (1 of 2)

palate
/ (ˈpælɪt) /

noun

the roof of the mouth, separating the oral and nasal cavities See hard palate, soft palate Related adjective: palatine
the sense of taste she had no palate for the wine
relish or enjoyment
botany (in some two-lipped corollas) the projecting part of the lower lip that closes the opening of the corolla

Word Origin for palate

C14: from Latin palātum, perhaps of Etruscan origin

undefined palate

Avoid confusion with palette, pallet 1

British Dictionary definitions for soft palate (2 of 2)

soft palate

noun

the posterior fleshy portion of the roof of the mouth. It forms a movable muscular flap that seals off the nasopharynx during swallowing and speech

Medical definitions for soft palate (1 of 2)

palate
[ pălĭt ]

n.

The bony and muscular partition between the oral and nasal cavities; the roof of the mouth.

Medical definitions for soft palate (2 of 2)

soft palate

n.

The movable fold, consisting of muscular fibers enclosed in mucous membrane, that is suspended from the rear of the hard palate and closes off the nasal cavity from the oral cavity during swallowing or sucking.

Scientific definitions for soft palate (1 of 2)

palate
[ pălĭt ]

The roof of the mouth in vertebrate animals, separating the mouth from the passages of the nose.♦ The bony part of the palate is called the hard palate. ♦ A soft, flexible, rear portion of the palate, called the soft palate, is present in mammals only and serves to close off the mouth from the nose during swallowing.

Scientific definitions for soft palate (2 of 2)

soft palate

See under palate.

Cultural definitions for soft palate

palate
[ (pal-uht) ]

The roof of the mouth. The palate separates the mouth from the nasal cavity.

notes for palate

It is sometimes said that a person has a “cultivated palate” if he or she has a discerning taste for food.