palatability

American  

[pal-uh-tuh-bil-i-tee] / ˌpæl ə təˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Rarely palatableness

noun

1. the fact or quality of being acceptable or agreeable to the taste; tastiness.

   Judicious use of salt within permissible limits can increase the palatability of food.

2. the fact or quality of being acceptable or agreeable to the mind or feelings; appeal.

   Sustainability and resilience refer to similar concepts in ecological management, but resilience arguably has broader political palatability.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonpalatability
  noun
• nonpalatableness
  noun

---

Etymology

Origin of palatability

palatable ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

---

Explanation

The palatability of something is its quality of being tasty or acceptable in some other way. When you're baking a cake, its palatability is much more important than the way it looks. Food is what you probably think of when you hear the word palatability. It usually has to do with the way things taste, and it comes from the word palate, which in turn is rooted in the Latin palatum, or "roof of the mouth." Palatability has evolved to include other qualities in addition to taste: "I question the palatability of a new tax — will it be acceptable to the voters?"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

palatability

"The use of herbs and natural seasonings as alternatives to salt or culinary techniques such as using the acidity of citrus fruits may help reduce discretionary salt use while maintaining food palatability," concluded Santos.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

But the story of pop music is far more often about the mainlining and then mainstreaming of frisky outsider ideas into broad palatability.

From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2023

Apart from claims of providing additional nutrients, Bernal, the veterinarian who works for Wellness, cites palatability as an important reason to include toppers in meals, especially for fussy pets that refuse to eat.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2022

For example, it is ordered to help balance palatability and appreciation.

From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2021

In general the organic acids are not to be considered as nutrients, but as food adjuncts, increasing palatability and promoting digestion.

From Human Foods and Their Nutritive Value by Harry Snyder

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---