- needlework done by sewing pieces of different materials together
- something, such as a theory, made up of various parts
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
patch•work /ˈpætʃˌwɜrk/USA pronunciation
n.
adj. [before a noun]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- something made up of pieces that do not go together;
mélange:[countable]That speech was a patchwork of unconnected clichés. - Clothing[uncountable] sewn work made of pieces of material in many different colors or shapes.
adj. [before a noun]
- resembling a patchwork:a patchwork repair job.
patch•work
(pach′wûrk′),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
v.t.
patch′work′y, adj.
- something made up of an incongruous variety of pieces or parts;
hodgepodge:a patchwork of verse forms. - Clothingwork made of pieces of cloth or leather of various colors or shapes sewed together, used esp. for covering quilts, cushions, etc.
adj.
- resembling a patchwork, esp. in being makeshift, irregular, or improvised:a patchwork policy of dispensing foreign aid.
v.t.
- Clothingto make as patchwork:She specializes in patchworking skirts.
- Clothingto assemble or connect in making patchwork:to patchwork neckties into bedspreads.
- patch1 + work 1685–95
- 1. . medley, jumble, mélange.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
patchwork /ˈpætʃˌwɜːk/ n
'patchwork' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):