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Definition of palatable - 2 dictionary results

pal⋅at⋅a⋅ble

[pal-uh-tuh-buhl]
–adjective
1. acceptable or agreeable to the palate or taste; savory: palatable food.
2. acceptable or agreeable to the mind or feelings: palatable ideas.

Origin:
1660–70; palate + -able


pal⋅at⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, pal⋅at⋅a⋅ble⋅ness, noun
pal⋅at⋅a⋅bly, adverb


1. delicious, delectable. Palatable, appetizing, tasty, savory all refer to tastes or aromas pleasing to the palate and in some cases to the olfactory nerves. Palatable has the least positive connotation of these terms, often referring to food that is merely acceptable and not especially good: a palatable, if undistinguished, main course; a barely palatable mixture of overcooked vegetables. Appetizing suggests stimulation of the appetite by the smell, taste of food, and is the only one of these words that can also refer to food pleasing to the eye: the appetizing aroma of baking bread; the table contained an appetizing display of meats, cheeses, and salads. Tasty refers to food that has a notable or especially appealing taste: mixed with bits of a tasty sausage; an especially tasty sauce. SAVORY refers most often to well or highly seasoned foods and applies to their appeal in both taste and smell: a savory, succulent roast of beef, spiced with slivers of garlic; the savory aroma of a simmering duck sauce. 2. pleasing, satisfactory.


1. distasteful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To palatable
pal·at·a·ble   (pāl'ə-tə-bəl)   
adj.  
  1. Acceptable to the taste; sufficiently agreeable in flavor to be eaten.

  2. Acceptable or agreeable to the mind or sensibilities: a palatable solution to the problem.

pal'at·a·bil'i·ty, pal'at·a·ble·ness n., pal'at·a·bly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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