"top of the head," early 14c. (late 12c. in surnames), of unknown origin; perhaps a shortened form of Old French patene or Medieval Latin patena, both from Latin patina "pan, dish" (see pan (n.)).
"paste," 1706, from French pâté, from Old French paste, earlier pastée, from paste (see paste (n.)).
(French: "paste"), in French cuisine, a filled pastry, analogous to the English pie. The term pate is also used, with modifiers, to denote two other distinct preparations: pate en terrine, a meat, game, or fish mixture wrapped in suet or other animal fat or lining and cooked in a deep oval or oblong dish, without pastry, and served cold; and pate en croute, a meat, game, or fish filling cooked in a crust and served hot or cold. It is from pate en terrine, more properly abbreviated terrine, that the pate of British and American usage derives.