n.1 a thin board or slab or other surface, usu. with a hole for the thumb, on which an artist lays and mixes colours.
2 the range of colours used by an artist.
Phrases and idioms:
palette-knife
1. a thin steel blade with a handle for mixing colours or applying or removing paint.
2 a kitchen knife with a long blunt round-ended flexible blade.
Etymology: F, dimin. of pale shovel f. L pala spade