texture

1 of 2

noun

tex·​ture ˈteks-chər 

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 exciting

—John 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

ˈteks-chə-rəl 

adjective

texturally

ˈteks-chə-rə-lē 

adverb

textured

ˈteks-chərd 

adjective

textureless

ˈteks-chər-ləs 

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

Notice the texture of the ground under your shoes or the coolness of the floor on your bare feet. —Bronwen Sciortino, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

Ditto at Bally, where Anthony Turner executed a similar style on some models while respecting the natural hair texture, and at Iceberg, where Michaël Delmas worked with Wella Professional products to deliver the style with a matte finishing. —Sandra Salibian, WWD, 25 Sep. 2024

Verb

Unique crackly textures that are uneven to the touch, either bumpy or pitted, much like craters on the moon. —Grace Xue, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024

Also notable is the cozy-as-a-shawl soundtrack, which brims with beckoning mid-century ballads (both American and Korean) and is textured mixed with all sorts of whoops, plops, and playful echoes to complement Sara’s cheesy ploy making. —Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2024

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

Kids Definition

texture

1 of 2 noun

tex·​ture ˈteks-chər 

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

-chərd 

adjective

texture

2 of 2 verb

textured; texturing

: to give a particular texture to

texture a ceiling