pate
[peyt]
- the crown or top of the head.
- the head.
- the brain.
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Origin of pate
1275–1325; Middle English, < ?
pâte
[paht]
- porcelain paste used in ceramic work.
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Origin of pâte
pâté
[pah-tey, pa‐; French pah-tey, pa‐]
- 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.
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Origin of pâté
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for pate
Contemporary Examples
It is littered with pate rind, bread crumbs, greaseproof paper, orange peel and banana skins.
Whether it is a simple roasted chicken, pate, or tuna Napoleon, each plate is a true culinary pleasure and delivers every time.
Historical Examples
As my horse crashed into him I struck at his pate with my pistol.
The O'RuddyStephen Crane
Ay, leeks is goot:—Hold you, there is a groat to heal your pate.
King Henry the FifthWilliam Shakespeare
I say, I will make him eat some part of my leek, or I will peat his pate four days.
King Henry the FifthWilliam Shakespeare
He applies the cudgel as vigorously to the priest's pate as to the Lolardes back.
The Ship of Fools, Volume 1Sebastian Brandt
Once he's got anything wedged in his pate there's no knocking it out.
The Power of DarknessLeo Tolstoy
pate
- the head, esp with reference to baldness or (in facetious use) intelligence
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Word Origin
C14: of unknown origin
pâté
- a spread of very finely minced liver, poultry, etc, served usually as an hors d'oeuvre
- a savoury pie of meat or fish
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Word Origin
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
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.)).
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n.2
"paste," 1706, from French pâté, from Old French paste, earlier pastée, from paste (see paste (n.)).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper