tapestry
noun
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Several languages weave through the history of tapestry, which comes from a Greek word meaning “carpet” and traveled through Anglo-French and Middle English before arriving in modern English in the 15th century. Tapestry originally referred to a heavy handwoven reversible textile used for hangings, curtains, and upholstery, and characterized by complicated pictorial designs. It still does today, but the word has fittingly developed a “tapestry” of additional senses. It may describe a nonreversible imitation of tapestry used chiefly for upholstery, or embroidery on canvas resembling woven tapestry. It can also refer figuratively to anything made up of different parts, as in “nature’s rich tapestry.” Tapestry isn’t the only art word that’s developed a figurative “medley” sense; collage (“a work of art made by adhering pieces of different materials (such as paper, cloth, or wood) to a flat surface”) and mosaic (“a decoration made by inlaying small pieces of variously colored material (such as glass or ceramic) to form pictures or patterns”) are both used figuratively to mean “a collection of different things.”
Examples of tapestry in a Sentence
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 7 May 2026
The art industry comprises an incredibly diverse tapestry of experts in all sorts of professions.
—The Editors Of Artnews, Robb Report, 7 May 2026
Woven from the rich tapestry of immigration, these songs became the soundtrack for the Industrial Revolution, the World Wars, and the staggering social changes of the 20th century.
—Time, 6 May 2026
The former Sidos space has been transformed into a restaurant with neon signs, faux greenery, tapestries depicting temples and spiral light fixtures.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tapestry
Cite this Entry
“Tapestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tapestry. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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tapestry
noun
