Palate
:
Palate is a common misspelling of the color-related term
palette.
The
palate is the roof of the
mouth in humans and
vertebrate animals. The palate is divided into two parts, the anterior bony
hard palate, and the posterior fleshy
soft palate or
velum. The name is
Middle English and is probably derived from the
Latin palatum or the Old French
palat.
When functioning in conjunction with other parts of the mouth the palate produces certain sounds, particularly
velar,
palatal,
palatalized,
postalveolar, and
alveolo-palatal consonants. It plays a role in a
guttural consonants, together with the
throat,
tongue, and
uvula.
*
Hard palate*
Soft palate*
cleft palate
