template

American  

[tem-plit] / ˈtɛm plɪt /

Or templet

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.

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template British  

/ 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

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template Scientific  

/ tĕm′plĭt /

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.

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of template

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

Example Sentences

Shares of digital-asset treasury company Hyperliquid Strategies have surged this year, driven by investors betting that the decentralized cryptocurrency exchange with a similar name is setting a new template for the future of trading.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

In 1983, he slipped into the role of a taciturn Texas ranger waging war against an arms dealer in "Lone Wolf McQuade", which provided the template for the cult TV series "Walker, Texas Ranger".

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Recent protests in Minnesota, where Twin Cities residents took to the streets to protect their neighbors from the administration’s mass-deportation efforts, offer one template for what such mobilization would look like in an American context.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026

He is acutely aware of his powerful influence in all aspects — from “Hips Don’t Lie” setting the mainstream template for global genre coalition to all the younger artists who’ve hailed him in their songs.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

He’d created the template for an epic art heist; he’d made the mold.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Related Words

• arrangement