pallet

1 of 2

noun (1)

pal·​let ˈpa-lət 

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

Noun

Last June, Ukrainian drones concealed inside of pallets on trailers were released to conduct a coordinated, simultaneous attack on several air bases deep inside Russia. —Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026

As planning continues, Lincoln High School’s Outdoor Education Club recently hosted a volunteer cleanup event at the site, where students removed debris including wooden pallets and wire. —Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026

Lendenborg spent his idle time pushing and unloading pallets of phone accessories. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026

Charonda Johnson, a longtime community advocate who participated in preservation efforts, said dozens of pallets of bricks have already been cataloged through a weeks-long process involving local youth and archaeologists. —Ryan Nickerson, Houston Chronicle, 25 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for pallet

• alate
• ballot
• fallot
• mallet
• palate
• palette
• shallot

Kids Definition

pallet

noun

pal·​let

ˈpal-ət

1

: a straw-filled mattress

2

: a small, hard, or temporary bed