[pal.ette] n [F, fr. MF, dim. of pale spade, fr. L pala; prob. akin to L pangere to fix--more at pact] (1622) 1: a thin oval or rectangular board or tablet that a painter holds and mixes pigments on
2. a: the set of colors put on the palette b (1): a particular range, quality, or use of color (2): a comparable range, quality, or use of available elements esp. in another art (as music)