The word "palae" is typically spelled with an "ae" diphthong, which represents a "long a" sound when pronounced. In IPA phonetic transcription, this sound is represented by the symbol /eɪ/. The use of the "ae" spelling is typically associated with British English, while American English tends to use the simplified spelling "pale." However, both spellings are acceptable and convey the same meaning - something that is light or washed out in color, or something that lacks intensity or significance.
The word "palae" is not a standalone word in English, but it often appears as a prefix in various scientific terms, such as "paleontology", "paleobotany", "paleozoic", and so on. The prefix "palae-" is derived from the Greek word "palaios", meaning "old" or "ancient". It is used to indicate something that is old or ancient in the context of the natural world and is commonly used to refer to the study of fossils, ancient life forms, and past geological eras.