pattern
PATN
Pattern (noun) means a repeated design of shapes, colors, or lines, often decorative. Example: “The wallpaper had a floral pattern in soft blues and greens.”
noun
1
A repeated design of shapes, colors, or lines, often decorative.
"The wallpaper had a floral pattern in soft blues and greens."
"She traced the geometric pattern on the tiled floor with her finger."
"The curtains had a bold stripe pattern running from top to bottom."
2
A regular, repeated way that something happens, which can be recognized or used to predict what comes next.
"Analysts noticed a pattern in the company's quarterly sales figures."
"His sleeping pattern changed completely after he started the new job."
"Doctors saw a pattern in the way the symptoms appeared each winter."
3
A template or model used as a guide for making something, especially a garment.
"She bought a sewing pattern to make her own dress."
"Follow the pattern carefully and cut the cloth along the marked lines."
"My grandmother kept a paper pattern for the jacket she made every year."
verb
1
To design or shape something after a model or example.
"The new policy was patterned after a similar law in a neighboring state."
"The young designer patterned her first collection on clothes from the 1960s."
"He patterned his teaching style after the teacher he admired most."
How to use pattern
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA repeated design, a predictable sequence of events, or a template to copy from.
Common pairings
repeating pattern
behavior pattern
follow a pattern
sewing pattern
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like pattern.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- patterns
- Third person singular
- patterns
- Past tense
- patterned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The wallpaper had a floral _____ in soft blues and greens.
Etymology
From Middle English patron/paterne, from Old French patron — the same root as patron, but the two words split apart in meaning over time.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “pattern” mean?
The word “pattern” means a repeated design of shapes, colors, or lines, often decorative. In plain terms, a repeated design, a predictable sequence of events, or a template to copy from.
How do you pronounce “pattern”?
“Pattern” is pronounced PATN (/ˈpætɚn/ in IPA).
How do you use “pattern” in a sentence?
Here is “pattern” used in a sentence: “The wallpaper had a floral pattern in soft blues and greens.”
What is another word for “pattern”?
Words with a similar meaning to “pattern” include 3, 4, 5, model and categorize.
What is the opposite of “pattern”?
The opposite of “pattern” — its antonyms — is antipattern.
What part of speech is “pattern”?
Depending on how it is used, “pattern” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “pattern” come from?
The word “pattern” comes from Old French. From Middle English patron/paterne, from Old French patron — the same root as patron, but the two words split apart in meaning over time.
Is “pattern” a common word?
“Pattern” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between a pattern and a design?
A design is any planned arrangement or drawing, unique or one-off. A pattern is specifically a design built from repeated, regular elements — the same shape, color, or line recurring across a surface. So a pattern is a kind of design, but one defined by repetition, like polka dots, stripes, or floral prints.
What are some common types of patterns?
Familiar decorative patterns include stripes, checks, polka dots, chevrons or zigzags, floral prints, paisley, tartan or plaid, geometric shapes, and animal prints. They may be regular and precise or looser and more organic. Patterns appear across fabrics, wallpaper, tiles, and packaging, adding rhythm and visual interest to a surface.
What is the difference between a pattern and a texture?
A pattern is about repeated visual design — shapes or colors you see arranged across a surface. Texture is about how a surface feels or appears to feel, such as rough, smooth, or bumpy. A patterned fabric shows a repeating print; a textured fabric has a tactile quality. A surface can have both at once.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include pattern:
