palette
/ˈpælət/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpælət/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpa-lət/ (ame, mw)
palette — noun
- palettesingular
- palettesplural
1. a flat board, often with a thumb hole, that painters hold while they blend wet c
a flat board, often with a thumb hole, that painters hold while they blend wet colours during a painting session.
Felipe wiped green paint across the palette before adding white for the sky.
wipe paint across the palette
The teacher held a wooden palette in one hand and a brush in the other.
hold a palette in one hand
Paint dripped from Niran's palette onto the newspaper spread across the floor.
Christopher cleaned his palette with a rag after finishing the portrait.
- paint board
a plain descriptive phrase for the artist's board
- mixing board
stresses the surface where colours are blended
文法句型
hold + a palette + in one hand
mix/blend + colours + on a palette
用法筆記
Usually refers to the hand-held board used while painting, not to the finished set of colours in an artwork. It often appears with words such as wooden, paint, or artist's.
2. the group of colours that an artist, designer, film, or photograph regularly use
the group of colours that an artist, designer, film, or photograph regularly uses to create a particular visual mood.
Critics praised the film's dark palette of grey, blue, and smoky green.
a dark palette of colours
Sayaka's palette became warmer after she moved from oil to pastel work.
palette became warmer
The magazine cover uses a soft palette that makes the product look calm.
Museum visitors noticed how the painter's winter palette avoided bright red entirely.
- color scheme
broader and can describe any planned set of colours
- tonal range
more technical and often stresses light-dark balance
文法句型
a warm/dark/muted palette
use + a palette + of colours
用法筆記
Often modified by warm, cool, muted, or dark. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is tied to an artist's or image-maker's visual style, not to the colours chosen for a room.
3. the set of colours chosen for a room, home, or other decorated space.
the set of colours chosen for a room, home, or other decorated space.
Élise chose a warm palette of cream and clay for the living room.
choose a palette for a room
The hotel's palette mixes sand, white, and pale blue in every bedroom.
palette mixes wall colours
Our designer suggested a lighter palette to make the narrow kitchen feel open.
The nursery looked calmer once Omar replaced the bright palette with softer greens.
- color scheme
the most general everyday term for chosen room colours
- decor palette
used especially when discussing interior styling
文法句型
choose + a palette + for a room
a palette of + wall/fabric colours
用法筆記
Common in home-design talk. Unlike sense 2, it describes colours selected for a physical space rather than an artist's habitual visual style.
4. the collection of colours that a computer program, device, or screen can display
the collection of colours that a computer program, device, or screen can display or let a user choose.
This old printer cannot reproduce every colour in the screen palette.
every colour in the screen palette
Design students reduced the palette to sixteen colours for the game icon.
reduce the palette to sixteen colours
The program saves a custom palette for users who edit photos every day.
Imran imported a pastel palette into the app before drawing the map.
- color table
a more technical term used in software and graphics work
- color set
a plain phrase for the available group of colours
文法句型
reduce + the palette + to + number of colours
save/load + a custom palette
用法筆記
Often appears in computing or digital-design contexts with words like custom, limited, or screen. It names the colours a system offers, not the colours a person prefers.
5. a slim makeup case that holds several shades of the same cosmetic, such as eye s
a slim makeup case that holds several shades of the same cosmetic, such as eye shadow or highlighter.
Eshe slipped a small palette into her bag before the wedding dinner.
slip a palette into a bag
The beauty counter displayed a new palette with six shades of brown.
a palette with six shades
Caleb bought his sister a highlighter palette for her birthday.
Lukas dropped the palette, and two pink powders cracked inside the case.
- makeup compact
broader because a compact may hold one product rather than many shades
- eye-shadow set
more specific when the palette contains eye colours
文法句型
a palette with + number of shades
slip/pack + a palette + into a bag
用法筆記
Usually refers to a compact case sold for cosmetics, especially eye shadow, blush, or highlighter. Distinguish from sense 1: this palette stores makeup rather than wet paint.