This one always throws me - broad palate or broad palette?

[UnquietDad]

Because I see both used these days. One is obviously wrong, or at least derived semi-ironically from the other.

It strikes me that you can have both - an artist's palette which is broad and encompasses many colours like this or a palate broad enough to appreciate a variety of (palatable) tastes.

I'm sure you pedants will set me straight!

[UnquietDad]

Either this has stumped everyone or I am so terminally stupid that you are all laughing at me.

[Bluestocking]

I'm stumped.

[mumblechum]

palate.

so there.

[WendyWeber]

I'm stumped too!

What context is it used in though - give us a phrase!

[Inquisitive]

I would instinctively go for broad palette because it tends to get used in the sense of having lots of options to choose from, but I could be completely wrong.

[WendyWeber]

Have just googled both - palate seems to be mostly about taste specifically but palette is for the other senses.

Does this help?

[Rhubarb]

palate is def only for taste.

palette is an artist's thing. So yes, you can have both, but they are both different, iykwim.

[DaDaDa]

Palette. I've always taken it to derive from an artist's palette broad enough to accomodate many colours.

[norkmaiden]

surely palette?

[DaDaDa]

Accommodate

[PrimulaVeris]

palette, unless you are specifically referring to foody taste

[CatIsSleepy]

i think palette -this would mean a broad range which is what the phrase means doesn't it?
broad palate could mean you have a big gob...

[UnquietDad]

I googled both and found both in common use, which was why I thought I'd ask.

[IorekByrnison]

I would say palate, but have always understood the meaning to be something akin to "catholic taste". I suppose palette would work fine in the other sense.

[singleWhiteMale]

Here's an extract from the OED which appears to indicate it's palette, although their example is wide palette rather than broad.

palette, n
.
.
c. Any range or assortment of similar items, qualities, etc., from which selection is or can be made; (Music) the characteristic range of tonal or instrumental colour in a particular musical piece or a particular composer's work. Also more generally: a variety or choice, a spectrum.
.
.
2002 Chicago Tribune (Midwest ed.) 15 Sept. IV. 6/1 (caption) This four-season garden featured a wide palette of plants.

[IorekByrnison]

Sounds convincing to me.

[AllFallDown]

it is palette. Of course it's palette. If it were palate it would mean, as CIS says, a big mouth.