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It all began with macaroni. Our word pastiche is from French, but the French word was in turn borrowed from Italian, where the word is pasticcio. Pasticcio is what the Italians called a kind of "macaroni pie" (from the word pasta). English-speakers familiar with this multilayered dish had begun to apply the name to various sorts of potpourris or hodgepodges (musical, literary, or otherwise) by the 18th century. For over a hundred years English speakers were happy with pasticcio, until we discovered the French word pastiche sometime in the latter part of the 1800s. Although we still occasionally use pasticcio in its extended meaning, "pastiche" is now much more common.

Examples of pastiche in a Sentence

His earlier building designs were pastiches based on classical forms. With this work she goes beyond pastiche. The research paper was essentially a pastiche made up of passages from different sources. The house is decorated in a pastiche of Asian styles.

Recent Examples on the Web The results are exhilarating, transcending pastiche with the polish and commitment Mr. Hedley brings to the performances. — Barry Mazor, WSJ, 3 May 2022 Jane Inc quickly established itself as an output for Bezic’s complex dance and pop songwriting sensibilities — overflowing with rich, deep grooves and structured around deep emotional truths with a pastiche of personal and political lyrics. — Niko Stratis, SPIN, 26 Apr. 2022 This complex pastiche reemerged during lockdown as parents had a lot more time to doom-scroll. — ELLE, 4 Apr. 2022 Jackson would eventually be joined by nine others — all jumpsuited — for a pastiche of jazzy, soulful moves that tug at the diasporic roots of Ailey’s modern dance. — Lauren Warnecke, chicagotribune.com, 3 Mar. 2022 That vantage point, as with so much of Star Wars, looks out on a pastiche of earthly genres: Westerns, mob flicks, Bible tales. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2022 Likewise, Margaret Qualley’s frothy tulle Chanel Couture nodded to the star’s ballet beginnings without verging into pastiche. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2022 Textures, colors, styles and shapes clashed and contrasted in a collection that was able to be fun and playful -- without ever falling into distasteful pastiche. — Thomas Adamson, ajc, 4 Mar. 2022 The necklace pictured is the kind of pastiche the brand excels at, featuring a mix of agate, quartz, and shell in a color palette inspired by the colorful seaside villages in Italy's Cinque Terre. — Talia Abbas, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pastiche.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.