pate

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English pate, of uncertain origin. Perhaps a shortened form of Old French patene or Medieval Latin patena, both from Latin patina (“pan, dish”). Alternatively, perhaps akin to Old Frisian pote (“skull”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /peɪt/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪt

Noun

pate (plural pates)

1. (somewhat archaic) The head, particularly the top or crown.

   He had a shiny, bald pate.

   • 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble,  (Coverdale Bible), , →OCLC, Psalm vij:[16], folio xiij, recto, column 2:

     For his vnhappynes ſhall come vpon his owne heade, ⁊ his wickednes ſhall fall vpon his owne pate.

   • 1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 167:

     The whole benighted, blooming crew,
     The Puddin'-thieves, the Usher too,
     Are being beaten black and blue
     With bottles on the pate.

2. (archaic) Wit, cleverness, cognitive abilities.
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost.  (First Quarto), London: W W for Cutbert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W Griggs, , , →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     I am reſolued, tis but a thee yeeres faſt:
     The minde ſhall banquet, though the body pine,
     Fat paunches haue leane pates: and daynty bits
     Make rich the ribbes, but banerout quite the wits.

   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 16, column 1:

     I thank thee for that ieſt; heer’s a garment for’t:
     Wit ſhall not goe vn-rewarded while I am King of this
     Country: Steale by line and leuell, is an excellent paſſe
     of pate: there’s another garment for’t.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• capital

Etymology 2

Attested since circa 1700, from French pâté, from Old French paste, pastée. Doublet of pâté.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpæt.eɪ/, /pæˈteɪ/
• Rhymes: -æteɪ, -eɪ

Noun

pate (plural pates)

1. Alternative spelling of pâté (finely-ground paste of meat, fish, etc.)
2. The interior body, or non-rind portion of cheese, described by its texture, density, and color.

Related terms

• pasta
• paste
• patty

Anagrams

• PETA, Paet, Peat, Peta, epta-, peat, peta-, tape, tepa

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

pate

1. vocative singular of pat

Danish

Alternative forms

• paté

Etymology

From French pâté.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pate/,
• Rhymes: -e

Noun

pate c (singular definite pateen, plural indefinite pateer)

1. pâté

Inflection

Italian

Etymology

From Latin pater, from Proto-Italic *patēr, from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpa.te/
• Rhymes: -ate
• Hyphenation: pà‧te

Noun

pate m (plural pati)

1. (obsolete) father

   Synonym: padre

Further reading

• pate in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Anagrams

• epta-

Japanese

Romanization

pate

1. Rōmaji transcription of パテ

Latin

Verb

patē

1. second-person singular present active imperative of pateō

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

pate m (definite singular pateen, indefinite plural pateer, definite plural pateene)

1. alternative spelling of paté

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

pate m (definite singular pateen, indefinite plural patear, definite plural pateane)

1. alternative spelling of paté

Pali

Alternative forms

Verb

pate

1. singular optative active of patati (“to fall”)

Romanian

Noun

pate n (plural pateuri)

1. Alternative form of pateu

Declension

Walloon

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pat/

Noun

pate f (plural pates)

1. paw, leg