palate

(pal’at) [L. pal a’tum]. 1. The roof of the mouth. 2. A popular designation for the uvula, or pendulum of the palate. artificial p., a plate to close a cleft of the palate. cleft-p., a palate having a congenital fi ure in the median line. falling p., an elongated uvula. hard p., the anterior part of the roof of the mouth; the bony palate. p.-hook, a hook for raising the palate in rhinoscopy. pendulous p., the uvula. soft p., the part of the palate near the uvula.