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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- patchworks
- Third person singular
- patchworks
- Past tense
- patchworked
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.
Synonyms
View more →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.
