palatable

[pal-uh-tuh-buhl]

adjective

1. acceptable or agreeable to the palate or taste; savory.

   palatable food.

   Synonyms: delectable, delicious
   Antonyms: distasteful, tasteless, unsavory, unpalatable

2. acceptable or agreeable to the mind or feelings.

   palatable ideas.

   Synonyms: satisfactory, pleasing

palatable

/ ˈpælətəbəl /

adjective

1. pleasant to taste

2. acceptable or satisfactory

   a palatable suggestion

Other Word Forms

• palatability noun
• palatableness noun
• palatably adverb
• nonpalatable adjective
• nonpalatably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of palatable¹

First recorded in 1660–70; palate + -able

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

It’s reasonable to think that the president’s God and heaven talk is an attempt to soften his cruel image and to make his vengeful policies more palatable.

From Salon

While the idea of paying the government is unappealing, some UC leaders have indicated that other less costly monetary arrangements are more palatable.

From Los Angeles Times

But some of the impacts will be much less palatable - with more frequent droughts and wildfires.

From BBC

A 20% levy is also palatable for electronics manufacturers, a big industry in Thailand.

From BBC

And it’s exactly this cheeky, palatable, available-in-child-sizes commodification that exposes the true horror for those it targets: There will be no empathy, no change of heart, no seeing of the light.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• acceptable 
• agreeable 
• appetizing 
• attractive 
• delicious 
• enjoyable 
• pleasant 
• satisfactory 
• tempting