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noun

patchwork

Patchwork (noun) means Fabric made by sewing together many small pieces of different colours or shapes. Example: “Her grandmother made a beautiful patchwork quilt.”

noun
1
Fabric made by sewing together many small pieces of different colours or shapes.
"Her grandmother made a beautiful patchwork quilt."
2
Something made up of many different, often unrelated, parts.
"The country's laws are a patchwork of overlapping regulations."
verb
1
To assemble something from various different pieces or sources.
"They patchworked together a funding plan from several grants."

How to use patchwork

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething stitched or pieced together from many different bits, literally in fabric or figuratively in ideas, laws, or plans.

Common pairings
patchwork quilt patchwork of laws

Word forms

patchworked past tense, patchworks plural, patchworks singular

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Test yourself on “patchwork” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Her grandmother made a beautiful _____ quilt.

Etymology

From "patch" plus "work" — literally, work made of patches.

jumble hodgepodge patchwork quilt

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “patchwork” mean?

The word “patchwork” means fabric made by sewing together many small pieces of different colours or shapes. In plain terms, something stitched or pieced together from many different bits, literally in fabric or figuratively in ideas, laws, or plans.

How do you use “patchwork” in a sentence?

Here is “patchwork” used in a sentence: “Her grandmother made a beautiful patchwork quilt.”

What part of speech is “patchwork”?

Depending on how it is used, “patchwork” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “patchwork” have?

“Patchwork” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: fabric made by sewing together many small pieces of different colours or shapes.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial