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pate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low
UK/peɪt/US/peɪt/

Literary, Humorous, or Culinary; The culinary sense is the most common in contemporary use.

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Quick answer

What does “pate” mean?

The top of a person's head.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The top of a person's head.

1. (Archaic or humorous) The head, especially the mind or intellect. 2. (Culinary) A savory pie or pastry filled with meat, fish, or vegetables, or a spreadable paste made from similar ingredients.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Both senses are understood in both varieties. The culinary sense might be slightly more common in UK contexts (e.g., 'chicken liver pâté').

Connotations

The 'head' sense is slightly old-fashioned or whimsical in both varieties.

Frequency

Low frequency overall. The culinary sense has higher frequency in menus and food writing.

Grammar

How to Use “pate” in a Sentence

[Adjective] + pate (e.g., bald pate)pâté + [of + Noun] (e.g., pâté of duck)

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
bald pateshiny patechicken liver pâtévegetable pâté
medium
smoked salmon pâtéon one's pateknocked on the pate
weak
pate de foie grasclever pateempty pate

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare. Potentially in branding for gourmet food products.

Academic

Rare, except in historical/literary studies.

Everyday

Low. Most likely in culinary contexts (ordering, recipes).

Technical

Culinary arts: specific term for a type of preparation.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “pate”

Strong

noggin (humorous, for sense 1)terrine (for sense 2)

Neutral

head (for sense 1)paste (for sense 2)spread (for sense 2)

Weak

crown (for sense 1)dip (for sense 2)

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “pate”

(for sense 1: bald pate) full head of hair(for sense 2: pâté) solid cut, steak

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “pate”

  • Misspelling as 'paste' (which is different)
  • Pronouncing the culinary 'pâté' as /peɪt/ instead of /ˈpæt.eɪ/ or /pɑːˈteɪ/ is common but marks a non-native speaker.
  • Using the 'head' sense in formal modern prose where 'head' is expected.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is literary, humorous, or archaic. 'Head' is the standard modern term.

'Pate' (without accent) is the English spelling for the head. 'Pâté' (with circumflex) is the French-derived term for the food, though in English the accent is often dropped.

In English, it is commonly pronounced /ˈpæt.eɪ/ (PAT-ay) or, closer to French, /pɑːˈteɪ/ (pah-TAY). The one-syllable /peɪt/ is for the 'head' sense.

No, 'pate' is only a noun in both its meanings.

The top of a person's head.

Pate is usually literary, humorous, or culinary; the culinary sense is the most common in contemporary use. in register.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “Knock (someone) on the pate”
  • “Bare one's pate (to show respect)”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a dinner PLATE with PÂTÉ on it. They rhyme, and both are related to food.

Conceptual Metaphor

THE HEAD IS A CONTAINER (for the mind). THE HEAD IS A SURFACE (bald pate).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
After years of worry, he was left with a pate.
Multiple Choice

In a culinary context, 'pâté' most closely refers to:

pate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore