texture

1 of 2

noun

tex·​ture ˈteks-chər How to pronounce texture (audio)
1
a
: the visual or tactile surface characteristics and appearance of something
the texture of an oil painting
b
: the disposition or manner of union of the particles of a body or substance
2
a
: a composite of the elements of prose or poetry
all these words … meet violently to form a texture impressive and excitingJohn Berryman
b
: a pattern of musical sound created by tones or lines played or sung together
3
a
: essential part : substance
b
: identifying quality : character
4
a
: something composed of closely interwoven elements
specifically : a woven cloth
b
: the structure formed by the threads of a fabric
5
a
: basic scheme or structure
b
: overall structure
textural adjective
texturally adverb
textured adjective
textureless adjective

texture

2 of 2

verb

textured; texturing

transitive verb

: to give a particular texture to

Examples of texture in a Sentence

Noun wood with a rough texture the smooth texture of silk The plant's leaves are almost leathery in texture. foods with very different textures The custard should be smooth and creamy in texture. a song with layered textures I liked the raw, gritty texture of the film. The movies are similar in texture.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But the big leagues came calling when the band started inviting collaborators into their insular studio sessions, adding different textures to their bluesy rock. William Earl, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 Dragon’s Cloud The dragon in this energetic narrative is carved out of gold over a background made using a rare technique called damascening, a form of decorative inlay using metals of contrasting colors, resulting in a layered appearance meant to resemble the organic textures found in nature. Carol Besler, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024 The mini-length dress is made from soft, lightweight cotton that has a gauzy texture. Rachel Simon, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2024 The product has a nice texture and doesn't make skin feel sticky or greasy. Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024 Dark brick will populate the facade, while the balconies on each unit will boast custom, ornamental copper metalwork to add texture and shine to the building. The Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2024 Today, Barbie has highlighted over 250 careers (through her varying outfits) and in the past nine years has introduced more than 175 looks with new skin tones, eye colors, hair textures, body types and disabilities. Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 In terms of integrating the language of tennis more materially into the collection, there was a voluminous green coat whose bouclé-meets-terry texture was reminiscent of a tennis ball (or grass court). Luke Leitch, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2024 Maine lobster was ground to a velvety texture, tucked into pasta and cooked to just the right amount of doneness, then covered in a tomato cream sauce dotted with roasted garlic cloves. Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
Hausmann-Stokes served for five years in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in Iraq before pursuing filmmaking full-time; his experience textures the lives of these fictional veterans. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024 Their combined consistency is at once smooth and gently textured, and the taste leans slightly toward sweetness, though slivers of pickled onion strewn over the top bend the overall flavors back toward savory. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Details that in the past might have been highly textured have been lightened considerably, and are even screen-printed or heat-pressed by some brands. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2024 The team's approach combined digital scanning with micro-computed tomography—a noninvasive technique often used for cancer imaging—with segmentation to digitally create pages, augmented with texturing and flattening techniques. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2024 Both types of bristles are densely packed to grasp and give coarse hair textures a sleek look. Deanna Pai, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2024 Despite its brevity, the book is richly textured with insights about how money shapes one’s conception of safety, and how grasping the interconnectedness of the physical world is also to grasp one’s mortality. The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2024 Randolph’s character is mourning the premature loss of her son, and her nuanced performance in Payne’s film is richly textured and filled with subtlety. Hilton Dresden, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 2024 From comfort to texture to durability, this blanket made a lasting impression on us. Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'texture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin textura, from textus, past participle of texere to weave — more at technical

First Known Use

Noun

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Verb

1694, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of texture was in 1578

Dictionary Entries Near texture

Cite this Entry

“Texture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/texture. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

texture

1 of 2 noun
tex·​ture ˈteks-chər How to pronounce texture (audio)
1
: the structure, feel, and appearance of something (as a fabric)
the smooth texture of silk
wood with a rough texture
2
: a quality that identifies something
textured adjective

texture

2 of 2 verb
textured; texturing
: to give a particular texture to
texture a ceiling

More from Merriam-Webster on texture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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