pattern

American  

[pat-ern, pat-n] / ˈpæt ərn, ˈpæt n /

noun

patterns plural

1. a decorative design, as for wallpaper, china, or textile fabrics, etc.

   Synonyms:

   figure

2. decoration or ornament having such a design.

3. a natural or chance marking, configuration, or design.

   patterns of frost on the window.

4. a distinctive style, model, or form.

   a new pattern of army helmet.

   Synonyms:

   sort, kind

5. a combination of qualities, acts, tendencies, etc., forming a consistent or characteristic arrangement.

   the behavior patterns of teenagers.

6. an original or model considered for or deserving of imitation.

   Our constitution has been a pattern for those of many new republics.

   Synonyms:

   exemplar, example

7. anything fashioned or designed to serve as a model or guide for something to be made.

   a paper pattern for a dress.

8. a sufficient quantity of material for making a garment.

9. the path of flight established for an aircraft approaching an airport at which it is to land.

10. a diagram of lines transmitted occasionally by a television station to aid in adjusting receiving sets; test pattern.

11. Metallurgy. a model or form, usually of wood or metal, used for giving the shape of the interior of a mold.

12. Numismatics. a coin, either the redesign of an existing piece or the model for a new one, submitted for authorization as a regular issue.

13. an example, instance, sample, or specimen.

14. Gunnery, Aerial Bombing.

    1. the distribution of strikes around a target at which artillery rounds have been fired or on which bombs have been dropped.

    2. a diagram showing such distribution.

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verb (used with object)

patterns, present (3rd person singular) patterned, past participle, past patterning present participle

1. to make or fashion after or according to a pattern.

2. to cover or mark with a pattern.

3. Chiefly British Dialect.

   1. to imitate.

   2. to attempt to match or duplicate.

verb (used without object)

patterns, present (3rd person singular) patterned, past participle, past patterning present participle

1. to make or fall into a pattern.

pattern ¹ British  

/ ˈpætən /

noun

1. an arrangement of repeated or corresponding parts, decorative motifs, etc

   although the notes seemed random, a careful listener could detect a pattern

2. a decorative design

   a paisley pattern

3. a style

   various patterns of cutlery

4. a plan or diagram used as a guide in making something

   a paper pattern for a dress

5. a standard way of moving, acting, etc

   traffic patterns

6. a model worthy of imitation

   a pattern of kindness

7. a representative sample

8. a wooden or metal shape or model used in a foundry to make a mould

9. 1. the arrangement of marks made in a target by bullets

   2. a diagram displaying such an arrangement

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verb

1. to model

2. to arrange as or decorate with a pattern

pattern ² British  

/ ˈpætərn /

noun

1. an outdoor assembly with religious practices, traders' stalls, etc on the feast day of a patron saint

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• patterner
  noun
• subpattern
  noun
• repattern
  verb (used with object)
• nonpatterned
  adjective
• patternable
  adjective
• patterned
  adjective
• patternless
  adjective
• patternlike
  adjective
• patterny
  adjective
• semipatterned
  adjective
• unpatterned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• patterns
  plural

Participles

• patterning
  present
• patterned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• pattern
  simple
• patterns
  simple
• have patterned
  perfect
• has patterned
  perfect
• am patterning
  progressive
• are patterning
  progressive
• is patterning
  progressive
• have been patterning
  perfect progressive
• has been patterning
  perfect progressive

Past

• patterned
  simple
• had patterned
  perfect
• was patterning
  progressive
• were patterning
  progressive
• had been patterning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will pattern
  simple
• will have patterned
  perfect
• will be patterning
  progressive
• will have been patterning
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of pattern

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English patron, from Medieval Latin patrōnus “model,” special use of Latin patrōnus “legal protector, advocate”; see patron

Explanation

Something that repeats in a predictable way is a pattern. You might find a pattern in a series of numbers, in the material covering your couch, or in the habits of your upstairs neighbor. The noun pattern could refer to a design or to customary behavior. Your patterns of behavior might include your morning cup of coffee and exercise. The word pattern can also be used as a verb form meaning "to model." For example, your art might be patterned after the artwork of a famous artist.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pattern patterns patterned patterning

Overall, the pattern of responses from advisers paints a picture of frothy optimism at a high level, coupled with a fundamental concern about the implications of policy on financial security.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

Mixing old and new is important, she says, referring to the House of Hackney hollyhock pattern she recently added to the walls of the living room and bedrooms, as well as the dining room lampshade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

The problem, he explains, is the overall pattern rather than any single meal.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

The pattern continues into the present day: Rep. Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, was elected to replace her late father last year.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

Instead of succumbing to paralyzing fear, like any normal person would in a storm like this, she’d been able to figure out the pattern to Nicole’s swimming.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Flag patterns that follow a significant trend depict a short-term consolidation of that trend, and are often resolved in the same direction of the trend that followed them.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026

And because chatbots cobble together sentences from patterns found in human language, AI messages have their own problematic telltales—clichés and stilted sentences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

"We're seeing patterns in TSW that cannot be explained by what is known about eczema," she said.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

APOE4 neurons, meanwhile, displayed patterns of gene activity associated with Alzheimer's disease.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

These patterns emphasize the differences between the stronger and weaker beats to help the performers keep track of where they are in the music.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

"I was less surprised by the differences and more surprised by some of the similarities, particularly in the ways these risks are patterned across settings," Nichols said.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026

Chunky platform sandals, fitted baby tees, butterfly clips on perfectly crimped hair, brightly patterned skirts and tons of sparkles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Irvin played running back at Glen Hills High School in Augusta, Ga. He told Sports Collectors Daily in 2023 that he patterned his running style after O.J.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

The singer also made good use out of her space bedrooms, with one utilized as a music room, complete with a funky patterned couch, a keyboard, and a drum kit.

From MarketWatch ● May 26, 2026

The patterned grains of wood in the scarred surface reminded her of currents in the Mississippi River.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

"I've been fascinated for a long time by the camouflage and disruptive patterning of moth wings," she added.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

"Similar to how cephalopods coordinate body shape and skin patterning, the synthetic smart skin can simultaneously control what it looks like and how it deforms, all within a single, soft material," Sun said.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 6, 2026

"The Ediacara Biota look totally bizarre in their appearance. Some of them have triradial symmetry, some have spiraling arms, some have fractal patterning," says Dr. Lidya Tarhan, a paleontologist at Yale University.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 27, 2026

The shrewd design’s geometric patterning reverberates against the trailblazing Bauhaus tapestries of Anni Albers, as much as those of Gutiérrez’s Oaxacan ancestors, for a work that travels through time and space.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2024

“I’ll see if I can make some extra soap this month,” she said, steam rapidly patterning her forehead with beads of sweat that pooled in the creases of her frown.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• kind
• method
• sequence
• shape
• sort
• style
• system
• type
• variety