pallet

1 of 2

noun (1)

pal·​let ˈpa-lət How to pronounce pallet (audio)
Synonyms of palletnext
1
: a portable platform for handling, storing, or moving materials and packages (as in warehouses, factories, or vehicles)
2
: a wooden flat-bladed instrument
3
: a lever or surface in a timepiece that receives an impulse from the escapement wheel and imparts motion to a balance or pendulum

pallet

2 of 2

noun (2)

1
: a straw-filled tick or mattress
2
: a small, hard, or temporary bed

Examples of pallet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The menu offers something for a wide assortment of pallets, from lobster salad and island creek oysters to beef fat fries and Italian sausage. — Hannah Hudnall, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 About 50 pallets containing 12 pots apiece line a ridge near their house. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026 The combined loss, including pallets and packaging, came in at just over 40,000 pounds. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 The Army plans to pair an autonomous mobility platform with interchangeable munitions pallets, allowing engineers to test different combinations. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pallet

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle French palette, literally, small shovel — more at palette

Noun (2)

Middle English paillet, from Anglo-French paillete bundle of straw, from paille straw, from Latin palea chaff, straw; akin to Sanskrit palāva chaff

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pallet was in the 14th century

Rhymes for pallet

See All Rhymes for pallet

Browse Nearby Words

pallescent
pallet
pallet board
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Cite this Entry

“Pallet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pallet. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pallet

noun
pal·​let
ˈpal-ət
1
: a straw-filled mattress
2
: a small, hard, or temporary bed

More from Merriam-Webster on pallet

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