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• palatine
  palatine

  adjective

  having royal privileges.
• Palatine
  Palatine

  noun

  a city in NE Illinois.

palatine

¹ American  

[pal-uh-tahyn, -tin] / ˈpæl əˌtaɪn, -tɪn /

adjective

1. having royal privileges.

   a count palatine.

2. of or relating to a count palatine, earl palatine, or county palatine.

3. of or relating to a palace; palatial.

   a palatine chapel.

4. Palatine, of or relating to the Palatinate.

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noun

1. a vassal exercising royal privileges in a province; a count or earl palatine.

2. an important officer of an imperial palace.

3. a high official of an empire.

4. Palatine, a native or inhabitant of the Palatinate.

5. Palatine, one of the seven hills on which ancient Rome was built.

6. a shoulder cape, usually of fur or lace, formerly worn by women.

palatine ² American  

[pal-uh-tahyn, -tin] / ˈpæl əˌtaɪn, -tɪn /

adjective

1. of, near, or in the palate; palatal.

   the palatine bones.

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Palatine ³ American  

[pal-uh-tahyn] / ˈpæl əˌtaɪn /

noun

1. a city in NE Illinois.

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palatine ¹ British  

/ ˈpæləˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. (of an individual) possessing royal prerogatives in a territory

2. of, belonging to, characteristic of, or relating to a count palatine, county palatine, palatinate, or palatine

3. of or relating to a palace

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noun

1. feudal history the lord of a palatinate

2. any of various important officials at the late Roman, Merovingian, or Carolingian courts

3. (in Colonial America) any of the proprietors of a palatine colony, such as Carolina

Palatine ² British  

/ ˈpæləˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Palatinate

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noun

1. a Palatinate

Palatine ³ British  

/ ˈpæləˌtaɪn /

noun

1. one of the Seven Hills of Rome: traditionally the site of the first settlement of Rome

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating this hill

palatine ⁴ British  

/ ˈpæləˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. of or relating to the palate

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noun

1. either of two bones forming the hard palate

Etymology

Origin of palatine¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English palatine, paladin, palentine, from Old French palatin, palantien, from Medieval Latin, Latin palātīnus “of the imperial house (on the Palatine hill), imperial”; originally, of the hill Palātium in Rome; see palace, palatium -ine ¹

Origin of palatine²

First recorded in 1650–60; from French palatin, palatine, from Latin palātum palate + -ine ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

In ancient Rome, a palatine was a powerful authority figure. Through the 17th century, European palatines were nobles who inherited land and ruled over it separately from the greater kingdom. This word stems from the Medieval Latin palatinus, "of the palace," and in the ancient Roman world, someone working in a prince's palace was described as comes palatinus, or "possessing royal privileges." Through history, being a palatine meant having an enormous amount of power over a specific territory. Today the word is also used as an adjective meaning "connected to the palate of the mouth."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

palatine Palatine

The palatine tonsils are on the sides of the throat, and there are also lingual tonsils on the back of the tongue.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 31, 2017

The book was spectacularly ill timed, although it earned Apian a position as court astronomer to Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire and eventually the title of imperial count palatine.

From New York Times ● Jun. 12, 2014

A palatine tonsil is one of a pair of structures located laterally in the oropharynx in the area of the fauces.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

It is created by the maxillary and palatine bones of the skull and, given its bony structure, is known as the hard palate.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

His father was the elector George William, and his mother was Elizabeth Charlotte, daughter of Frederick IV., elector palatine of the Rhine.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 1 "Franciscans" to "French Language" by Various

When Amy Tanner, of Palatine, saw that, she called the attorney general’s office, only to learn there had been no request for an opinion.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 1, 2023

Palatine, Illinois-based Weber said that as part of the deal, funds managed by BDT will provide the grill maker with an unsecured loan of additional $350 million.

From Reuters ● Dec. 12, 2022

Sheri Urlacher said her daughter was sent home from Fremd High School in Palatine after officials at the door of the school handed her a mask and asked her to put it on.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 14, 2021

The Palatine: Visitors inside the Imperial Forum typically hike the Palatine for the Farnese Gardens promontory's splendid view onto the Forum and Capitoline Hill.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 11, 2019

And in the meantime, I’ve left Charlotte of the Palatine in the lurch.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Related Words

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