noun
palette
PA-liht
noun
1
A thin board on which a painter mixes colours.
"She scraped the leftover paint off her palette."
2
The range of colours used in a particular work, design, or context.
"The film has a muted, wintery colour palette."
3
A collection of makeup shades sold together.
"She bought an eyeshadow palette with ten shades."
How to Use Palette
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA painter's mixing board, or more broadly, a set or range of colours.
Common mistake
Easily confused with "palate" (taste, or roof of the mouth) and "pallet" (a wooden platform for shipping goods).
Common pairings
colour palette
eyeshadow palette
muted palette
Word Forms
palettes plural
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She scraped the leftover paint off her _____.
Etymology
Borrowed from French palette, ultimately from the same root as "pallet" (a small flat board).