patterning

noun

pat·​tern·​ing ˈpa-tər-niŋ How to pronounce patterning (audio)
1
: decoration, composition, or configuration according to a pattern
2
: physical therapy especially for neurological impairment based on a theory holding that repeated manipulation of body parts to simulate normal motor developmental activity (such as crawling or walking) promotes neurological development or repair

Examples of patterning in a Sentence

The wallpaper is decorated with floral patterning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Storm Breaker, donning black and white patterning, is probably the least attractive of the bunch (to me, anyway). Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025 The coloring and low profile on this design still feels neutral while adding a little visual interest with the ornate patterning. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Aug. 2025 The research successfully achieves the integration of phase change material IST with phase change, reversibility, and patterning processes. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025 The researchers suggest that the fractal nature of blue landscapes, that is, their self-similar patterning and the way their component parts resemble the whole at different scales, contributes to their high nostalgia rating. New Atlas, 20 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for patterning

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of patterning was in 1860

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Patterning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patterning. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

patterning

noun
pat·​tern·​ing
: physical therapy especially for neurological impairment based on a theory holding that repeated manipulation of body parts to simulate normal motor developmental activity (as crawling or walking) promotes neurological development or repair

More from Merriam-Webster on patterning

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!