palatability
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of palatability
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
From a palatability standpoint, soluble fibers are more favorable.
From Salon • Jan. 17, 2026
"Although rosiglitazone was only partially effective as a bitter blocker in this study, modifying these drugs to improve potency, palatability, and efficacy may allow us to find a better version of this drug," said Nguyen.
From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2024
Johnny Carson’s Midwest-meets-Burbank cool was a big reason for his broad palatability, while David Letterman played up the affect of the Indiana weatherman gone twisted.
From New York Times • Dec. 7, 2022
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
