template

Or tem·plet

[tem-plit]

noun

1. a pattern, mold, or the like, usually consisting of a thin plate of wood or metal, serving as a gauge or guide in mechanical work.

2. anything that determines or serves as a pattern; a model.

   You can use my notes as a template for employee evaluations.

3. Building Trades.,  a horizontal piece, as of timber or stone, in a wall, to receive and distribute the pressure of a girder, beam, or the like.

4. Shipbuilding.,  either of two wedges in each of the temporary blocks forming the support for the keel of a ship while building.

5. Aerial Photogrammetry.,  any object having lines, slots, or straightedges to represent lines radiating from the center of a photograph, used for graphic triangulation.

6. Genetics.,  a strand of DNA or RNA that serves as a pattern for the synthesis of a complementary strand of nucleic acid or protein.

7. Computers.

   1. a small sheet or strip of cardboard, plastic, or the like, that fits over a portion of the keyboard and provides ready reference to the keystroke commands of a particular software program.

   2. an electronic file with a predesigned, customized format and structure, as for a fax, letter, or expense report, ready to be filled in.

8. Also called safe. a marble base for a toilet.

template

/ ˈtɛmplɪt /

noun

1. a gauge or pattern, cut out in wood or metal, used in woodwork, etc, to help shape something accurately

2. a pattern cut out in card or plastic, used in various crafts to reproduce shapes

3. a short beam, made of metal, wood, or stone, that is used to spread a load, as over a doorway

4. biochem the molecular structure of a compound that serves as a pattern for the production of the molecular structure of another specific compound in a reaction

template

1. A molecule of a nucleic acid, such as DNA, that serves as a pattern for the synthesis of another molecule of a nucleic acid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of template¹

1670–80; alteration of templet, apparently by falsely etymologizing final syllable as plate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of template¹

C17 templet (later spelling influenced by _plate ), probably from French, diminutive of _temple ³

Example Sentences

The bio-built skeletons of corals, for example, have proved to be “a more successful template” for bone growth than any synthetic material.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s cheap and accessible — free templates in multiple languages can be easily found online.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Democrats thought Romney’s template might offer a way to attract GOP support in Congress.

Read more on Salon

The team wanted to reorganize information about each product, but the hosting platform had a set template that didn’t allow those changes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It makes it easy for those who lost their homes to pick templates and receive competing bids from builders who have been vetted by Project Recovery.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arrangement 

When To Use

What does template mean?

A template is a pattern, model, or guide for the creation of some kind of project.Template is most commonly used in a general way, but it has many specific meanings depending on the context it is being used in.Example: When creating your résumé, don’t start from scratch—use a template so that you can make sure you format it properly.