Pata

Pata is a term used in multiple languages and contexts to refer to different things, rather than a single concept. In Spanish, pata denotes the leg or paw of an animal and is used in everyday speech to describe limbs.

In culinary usage in the Philippines, pata designates a specific cut of pork—the leg portion, including the hock—popular in dishes such as crispy pata and pata tim, where the meat is slow-cooked or braised and then fried for crispness. The culinary use of pata in this context is borrowed from Spanish and reflects historical linguistic influence.

Pata also appears as a place name and as a surname in various countries. As a toponym, it typically designates villages, towns, or geographic features, with origins that vary by language and region. As a surname, it has been borne by individuals in different cultures and may be encountered in migration contexts.

Because Pata can refer to multiple, unrelated things, the meaning is usually clarified by context or by using a disambiguation approach in encyclopedic references.