palato-, palat- +

A hard palate: The palatum durum is located in the roof of the mouth, is quite bony, and it is behind the upper front teeth.

Cleft palate.

The soft, mobile, posterior (back) one third of the palate which is the inside upper part of the mouth where the front is the harder part or the hard palate, and where the back or softer part is the soft palate.

It is attached anteriorly to the posterior margin of the hard palate and laterally to the pharyngeal wall, and it extends backwards and downwards into and between the nasal and oral parts of the pharynx or the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone.

Soft palate.

Hard palate.

A conical protuberance from the back edge of the middle of the soft palate: The function of the uvula of the soft palate is to prevent food from entering the nasal cavity.

During swallowing, the uvula of the soft palate moves upward with the soft palate.

A surgical technique for treating a severe obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway at the back of the throat is widened by the removal of excess soft tissue including the uvula, tonsils, and part of the soft palate: Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is a medical operation that is done to help people with severe breathing problems while sleeping or with significant snoring problems, however it does not always result in a cure.

These uvulopalatopharyngoplasties are usually done by using laser treatments.