pate

[ peyt ]

/ peɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pate ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the crown or top of the head.

the head.

the brain.

RELATED WORDS

brain, noggin, crown, dome

Nearby words

Origin of pate

1275–1325; Middle English, < ?

Can be confusedpaddy pate pâte pâté

Definition for pate (2 of 3)

pâte

[ paht ]

/ pɑt /

noun

porcelain paste used in ceramic work.

Origin of pâte

From French, dating back to 1860–65; see origin at paste

Can be confusedpaddy pate pâte pâté

Definition for pate (3 of 3)

pâté

[ pah-tey, pa‐; French pah-tey, pa‐ ]

/ pɑˈteɪ, pæ‐; French pɑˈteɪ, pæ‐ /

noun, plural pâ·tés [pah-teyz, pa‐; French pah-tey] /pɑˈteɪz, pæ‐; French pɑˈteɪ/,

French Cookery. a paste or spread made of puréed or finely chopped liver, meat, fish, game, etc., served as an hors d'oeuvre.

foie gras.

Origin of pâté

From French, dating back to 1695–1705; see origin at paste, -ee

Can be confusedpaddy pate pâte pâté

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pate

It is littered with pate rind, bread crumbs, greaseproof paper, orange peel and banana skins.
Geoff Dyer's 'The Missing of the Somme' Reconsidered|Louisa Thomas|November 11, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Whether it is a simple roasted chicken, pate, or tuna Napoleon, each plate is a true culinary pleasure and delivers every time.
Fresh Picks|Robert Irvine|January 13, 2011|DAILY BEAST
It was as if God's lightning had struck his pate, blasted it clean—No, that does not express it.
Caybigan|James Hopper
Seizing one of the foresters' pikes the lean-faced man foully swung it down upon Much's pate with a sounding thwack.
Robin Hood|Paul Creswick

Bald′ness; Bald′pate, one destitute of hair: a kind of wild-duck.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D)|Various
Pate was on his knees, loudly and fervently praying for an earthquake.
The Funny Philosophers|George Yellott
Oh, Mr. Pate, have you heard anything from ma in the last week?
Life in Dixie during the War|Mary A. H. Gay

British Dictionary definitions for pate (1 of 2)

pate

/ (peɪt) /

noun

the head, esp with reference to baldness or (in facetious use) intelligence

Word Origin for pate

C14: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for pate (2 of 2)

pâté

/ (ˈpæteɪ, French pɑte) /

noun

a spread of very finely minced liver, poultry, etc, served usually as an hors d'oeuvre

a savoury pie of meat or fish

Word Origin for pâté

from French: paste 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pate (1 of 2)

pate

n.1

"top of the head," early 14c. (late 12c. in surnames), of unknown origin; perhaps a shortened form of Old French patene or Medieval Latin patena, both from Latin patina "pan, dish" (see pan (n.)).

Word Origin and History for pate (1 of 2)

pate

n.2

"paste," 1706, from French pâté, from Old French paste, earlier pastée, from paste (see paste (n.)).