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.

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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

By focusing on how foods feel and stimulate the nervous system, researchers suggest it may be possible to design next-generation foods that combine appealing taste, beneficial physiological effects, and improved palatability.

From Science Daily • Feb. 7, 2026

And I think all of that lends it an accessibility and it lends the content of the film, conversations around race and identity and representation, a greater palatability.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2024

In its relative orderliness and palatability, “Yes and Yes” is not really a danced analogy to the book, but something else, complex in its own ways, true to Roche’s voice as she converses with another.

From New York Times • May 5, 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

They are among the most appetizing of table delicacies and add greatly to the palatability of many foods when cooked with them.

From Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc. by Atkinson, George Francis