a thin and usually oval or oblong board or tablet with a thumb hole at one end, used by painters for holding and mixing colors.
2.
any other flat surface used by a painter for this purpose.
3.
the set of colors on such a board or surface.
4.
the range of colors used by a particular artist.
5.
the variety of techniques or range of any art: a lush but uneven musical palette.
6.
the complete range of colors made available by a computer graphics card, from which a user or program may choose those to be displayed.
7.
(in ancient Egyptian art) a somewhat flattish slate object of various shapes, carved with commemorative scenes or motifs or, esp. in the smaller pieces, containing a recessed area probably for holding eye makeup and often used as a votive offering.
8.
Also, pallette.Armor. a small plate defending the front of the armpit when the arm is lifted; gusset.
[Origin: 1615–25; < F, MF < It paletta, dim. of pala shovel < L pāla; see -ette]
1622, "flat thin tablet used by an artist to lay and mix colors," from Fr. palette, from O.Fr. palete "small shovel, blade," dim. of pale "shovel, blade," from L. pala "spade, shoulder blade." Transferred sense of "colors used by a particular artist" is from 1882.
Pal"ette\, n. [See Pallet a thin board.]1. (Paint.) A thin, oval or square board, or tablet, with a thumb hole at one end for holding it, on which a painter lays and mixes his pigments. [Written also pallet.] 2. (Anc. Armor) One of the plates covering the points of junction at the bend of the shoulders and elbows. --Fairholt. 3. (Mech.) A breastplate for a breast drill. Palette knife, a knife with a very flexible steel blade and no cutting edge, rounded at the end, used by painters to mix colors on the grinding slab or palette. To set the palette (Paint.), to lay upon it the required pigments in a certain order, according to the intended use of them in a picture. --Fairholt.
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