English word origin

Etymology of pate

From Middle English pate, of uncertain origin. Perhaps a shortened form of Old French patene or Medieval Latin patena, both from Latin patina (“pan, dish”). Alternatively, perhaps akin to Old Frisian pote (“skull”).

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

The head, particularly the top or crown. · Wit, cleverness, cognitive abilities.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionpateenm
Derivation mentionpatenefro
Derivation mentionpatinala · pan, dish
Cognate mentionpoteofs · skull

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "pate"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English pate"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "patene"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French patene"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la-med",
        "3": "patena"
      },
      "expansion": "Medieval Latin patena"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "patina",
        "t": "pan, dish"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin patina (“pan, dish”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ofs",
        "2": "pote",
        "t": "skull"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Frisian pote (“skull”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "pate",
      "pate#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "patene",
      "patene#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "patena",
      "patena#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "patina",
      "patina#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "pote",
      "pote#Old_Frisian"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The head, particularly the top or crown.",
        "Wit, cleverness, cognitive abilities."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 207761
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Alternative spelling of pâté (finely-ground paste of meat, fish, etc.) · The interior body, or non-rind portion of cheese, described by its texture, density, and color.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Attested since circa 1700, from French pâté, from Old French paste, pastée. Doublet of pâté and patty.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionpâtéfr
Doublet mentionpâtéen
Doublet mentionpattyen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "pâté"
      },
      "expansion": "French pâté"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pâté",
        "3": "patty"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of pâté and patty"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "pâté",
      "pâté#French"
    ],
    [
      "pâté",
      "pâté#English"
    ],
    [
      "patty",
      "patty#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative spelling of pâté (finely-ground paste of meat, fish, etc.)",
        "The interior body, or non-rind portion of cheese, described by its texture, density, and color."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ],
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for pate →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-cGF0ZQ