noun
Common
texture
TEHKST-shuh
Texture (noun) means the way a surface or material feels to the touch, such as smooth, rough, or soft. Example: “I like the rough texture of the old stone wall.”
noun
1
The way a surface or material feels to the touch, such as smooth, rough, or soft.
"I like the rough texture of the old stone wall."
"The bread had a lovely crusty texture."
"She loved the silky texture of the fabric."
2
A digital image applied to a 3D model to make it look like a particular surface.
"The artist painted a wood texture and wrapped it around the table model."
"Adding a high-quality texture made the character's jacket look like real leather."
"The game designers created a realistic stone texture for the walls."
verb
1
To give something a particular surface feel or pattern.
"She textured the clay with a comb to make it look like bark."
"The painter textured the wall with a sponge to give it more depth."
"The plasterer textured the ceiling with a light swirl pattern."
How to use texture
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow something feels or looks on the surface — rough, smooth, crumbly, and so on.
Common pairings
smooth texture
rough texture
texture of the skin
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Word forms
- Plural
- textures
- Third person singular
- textures
- Past tense
- textured
- Comparative
- more texture
- Superlative
- most texture
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I like the rough _____ of the old stone wall.
Etymology
From Latin textura, "a weaving, web, or structure", from texere, "to weave" — originally referring literally to woven cloth before broadening to any surface quality.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for texture
See all rhymes for texture →Frequently asked questions
What does “texture” mean?
The word “texture” means the way a surface or material feels to the touch, such as smooth, rough, or soft. In plain terms, how something feels or looks on the surface — rough, smooth, crumbly, and so on.
How do you pronounce “texture”?
“Texture” is pronounced TEHKST-shuh (/ˈtɛkst͡ʃɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “texture” in a sentence?
Here is “texture” used in a sentence: “The bread had a lovely crusty texture.”
What part of speech is “texture”?
Depending on how it is used, “texture” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “texture” come from?
The word “texture” comes from Latin. From Latin textura, "a weaving, web, or structure", from texere, "to weave" — originally referring literally to woven cloth before broadening to any surface quality.
Is “texture” a common word?
“Texture” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “texture” have?
“Texture” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the way a surface or material feels to the touch, such as smooth, rough, or soft.
What is the difference between texture and consistency?
Texture is the way a surface or material feels to the touch, such as smooth or rough, and with food it also covers the feel in the mouth. Consistency refers more narrowly to the thickness or firmness of a substance, such as a thick or runny sauce.
What is the difference between texture and pattern?
Texture is about how a surface feels, while pattern is about how a surface looks through repeated shapes or designs. A single surface can have a rough texture and a striped pattern at the same time.
What adjectives are used to describe texture?
Texture is commonly described with words such as smooth, rough, soft, coarse, grainy, silky, and bumpy. These words capture how a surface or material feels to the touch.
