palette
/ˈpælɪt/
noun
Origin
Latin
pala — spade, shovel
Overview
Meaning Now
- A thin board or slab, typically oval or rectangular, used by an artist for mixing colors.
- The range of colors used by a particular artist or in a particular work of art.
Literal older meaning
small shovel
Language path
Latin → Old French → French → English
Earliest form
palette
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The word originated from the visual similarity between an artist's mixing board and the flat surface of a small shovel or spade. Over time, the term expanded from the physical object to represent the metaphorical selection of colors used by a painter.
Evolution
- Latin
pala
“spade”
- Late Latin
paletta
“small spade”
Diminutive form of pala
- Old French
palete
“a small shovel or blade”
- Middle French
palette
“artist's mixing board”
- English
palette
“artist's mixing board / color range”
Connections
Word parts
pal-
root
spade
-ette
suffix
diminutive
Related across languages
French
palette, blade, or small shovel
Italian
paletta
small shovel
Explore next
Related to palette
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.