Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PALETTE

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"PALETTE" Pronunciation: PAL it Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like “bottle,” “piece,” and “decision,” are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about “a bottle,” “three pieces,” and “many decisions.” Likewise, talk about one palette or multiple palettes.) Meaning:  Here's an actual palette, courtesy of Mlaoxve via Wikimedia Commons: We're interested in the abstract meaning: A palette is a range of different colors. Even more abstractly, a palette is a range of different talents or techniques. Other forms: palettes, palettelike Homophones you don't want to mix up: I'll quote my cousin Claudia, who recently explained: "...palette. That's what an artist has. A palate is the roof of your mouth. A pallet is a bed made of blankets on the floor, or one of those things forklifts pick up." How to use it: Talk about a "color palette," "someone's palette," or a "palette of something:" "Let's update the color palette of our living room." "Black clothing just isn't in her palette." "He wants to expand his palette of site design skills." You can also stick an adjective before "palette," as in "emotional palette," "musical palette," and "rich palette." Were you impressed with Lady Gaga's musical palette when she suddenly dropped the dance pop stuff and sang show tunes? His technical palette is extremely limited; I don't recommend hiring him. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "palette” means when you can explain it without saying “range” or “set." Think of something you like that comes in different colors, and fill in the blanks: "_____ comes in a _____ palette of colors." Example: "The Honda CRV comes in a limited palette of colors, but it's a very reliable car." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words:   All of the questions this month come from the nifty board game MooT, the game of semantics, etymology, and grammar. These questions were written by fellow language enthusiast Jon Steeves, the game's creator. Try a question each day, and see the correct answer the next day. Good luck! From yesterday: According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, what American city's name was perhaps coined as a corruption of the French phrase “beau fleuve,” beautiful river? Answer: Buffalo. Try this one today:   Originally, it denoted a just-fired bullet. Eventually, it came to denote a flashy male dresser. Nowadays it labels any flashily successful person. What two-syllable word is it? A Point Well Made: Alan Watts: "Hurrying and delaying are alike ways of trying to resist the present.” 1. The opposite of PALETTE is A. MONOTONE B. RAINBOW C. SOLIDARITY 2. All her songs sound exactly the same to me. She really needs to _____ her palette. A. direct B. understand C. broaden Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. C