A small flat cake of chopped or ground material, like a hamburger patty or a potato patty.
From French 'pâté' or possibly from 'pate' meaning 'a flat top,' referring to the flattened shape. The meaning evolved to describe any small, flat cake of food.
The word 'pâté'—the fancy French liver spread—comes from the same origin as 'patty'! Both refer to things that are flattened or beaten into shape, showing how cooking terminology travels between languages.
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