texture

American  

[teks-cher] / ˈtɛks tʃər /

noun

• textures
  plural

1. the visual and especially tactile quality of a surface.

   rough texture.

2. the characteristic structure of the interwoven or intertwined threads, strands, or the like, that make up a textile fabric.

   coarse texture.

3. the characteristic physical structure given to a material, an object, etc., by the size, shape, arrangement, and proportions of its parts.

   soil of a sandy texture; a cake with a heavy texture.

4. an essential or characteristic quality; essence.

5. Fine Arts.

   1. the characteristic visual and tactile quality of the surface of a work of art resulting from the way in which the materials are used.

   2. the imitation of the tactile quality of represented objects.

6. the quality given, as to a musical or literary work, by the combination or interrelation of parts or elements.

7. a rough or grainy surface quality.

8. anything produced by weaving; woven fabric.

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verb (used with object)

textured, texturing

1. to give texture or a particular texture to.

2. to make by or as if by weaving.

texture British  

/ ˈtɛkstʃə /

noun

1. the surface of a material, esp as perceived by the sense of touch

   a wall with a rough texture

2. the structure, appearance, and feel of a woven fabric

3. the general structure and disposition of the constituent parts of something

   the texture of a cake

4. the distinctive character or quality of something

   the texture of life in America

5. the nature of a surface other than smooth

   woollen cloth has plenty of texture

6. art the representation of the nature of a surface

   the painter caught the grainy texture of the sand

7. 1. music considered as the interrelationship between the horizontally presented aspects of melody and rhythm and the vertically represented aspect of harmony

      a contrapuntal texture

   2. the nature and quality of the instrumentation of a passage, piece, etc

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verb

1. (tr) to give a distinctive usually rough or grainy texture to

texture Scientific  

/ tĕks′chər /

1. The general physical appearance of a rock, especially with respect to the size, shape, size variability, and geometric arrangement of its mineral crystals (for igneous and metamorphic rocks) and of its constituent elements (for sedimentary rocks). A sandstone that forms as part of an eolian (wind-blown) deposit, for example, has a texture that reflects its small, rounded sand grains of uniform size, while a sandstone that formed as part of a fluvial deposit has a texture reflecting the presence of grains of varying sizes, with some more rounded than others.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• retexture
  verb (used with object)
• nontextural
  adjective
• semitextural
  adjective
• textural
  adjective
• textureless
  adjective
• untextural
  adjective
• nontexturally
  adverb
• semitexturally
  adverb
• texturally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• textures
  plural

Etymology

Origin of texture

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin textūra web, equivalent to text ( us ) (past participle of texere to weave) + -ūra -ure

Explanation

Texture is the physical feel of something — smooth, rough, fuzzy, slimy, and lots of textures something in between. Sandpaper is very rough — it has a gritty, rough texture. Other things, like linoleum, have a smooth texture. Texture has to do with how an object feels and its ingredients. Texture is very important in clothes: a cotton shirt has a different texture than a polyester shirt. You can also talk about other kinds of texture, like musical texture. A symphony and a rock song have different instruments, so they have different textures.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

texture textures textured texturing

He wears a white T-shirt and dark blue jeans that look basic until you’re close enough to see the meticulous stitching, texture and heavy, expensive fabric.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

In Bhutan's Paro, several hundred proponents of the idea are practicing everything from walking meditation to mindful eating -- slowing down to appreciate the taste, smell, texture and colours of food.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

Somewhere in the space between obvious joke and well, would you really be surprised?, a meme had begun acquiring the texture of consumer advice.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

She also suggests "adding layers of texture through cushions, throws and blankets" thinking about mixing materials like velvet, boucle or chunky knits.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

The size, texture, and colors inform us that this is not to be interpreted as a real target.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

You might be hearing about them because historically, berries with bumpy textures, especially raspberries and blackberries, have been linked to cyclosporiasis outbreaks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

For those who use art to help shade in the textures of their lives — as sticking points to shape a memory — there is no better place to do so than Letterboxd.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026

Johnson’s carapace is detailed with skin-like textures, swollen bicep veins and living tattoos that offer him encouragement and advice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Gigi Hadid walking the outdoor runway in a black feather cocoon was a visual delight, with all looks showcasing flowing designs in a variety of textures and colours.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

I try to snatch at the words, hold them in my hand and remember their textures, feel their shapes on my tongue.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

Today, the home still boasts a textured, warm feel, coupled with several color-drenched spaces, such as a dark teal den—and a kitchen with bold green cabinets.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

But the characterizations are too flimsy, the world only moderately textured.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

The Grade II listed building divided opinion when it first opened but is now widely regarded as a landmark of brutalist architecture, with its textured concrete, riverside terraces and three auditoriums.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

He changed it by creating a textured surface with color variations and what might be viewed as imperfections, and by layering three flags, in diminishing sizes, atop one another, that advance—or recede.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

Finally, I find the next open page and run my fingertips against the textured ivory paper.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

"We think this texturing is a strong candidate for everyday use and we're ready to partner with companies to refine it for large-scale manufacturing," she said.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 22, 2026

“The texturing on the Lego brick does a really good job of antialiasing.”

From The Verge ● Aug. 20, 2022

“There was a certain amount of resiliency that made the texturing, I thought, ‘Wow that is what I had been missing,’ ” Jackson remembered.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 24, 2020

He devoted himself to piano, keyboards and guitar, texturing his recorded work with blurry drone tones until sounds seem to bleed together.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2020

Art concepts include modeling, texturing, organic and inorganic work and unwrapping – which Gaber describes as figuring out where lines will go for filling in, "kind of like paint by numbers."

From US News ● Jan. 25, 2016

Related Words

• balance
• character
• composition
• consistency
• fabric
• feeling
• makeup
• nature
• pattern
• quality
• sense
• smoothness
• structure
• surface
• taste
• touch