patchwork
UK[ˈpætʃwɜːk]US[ˈpætʃwɜːrk]
n
Something made of many different pieces or parts
n
The activity of sewing small pieces of cloth together to make a larger piece, such as a quilt
Morpheme Breakdown
patch
work
patch
piece
work
product
Etymology
The word 'patchwork' is a transparent compound formed from native English elements. The first element, 'patch', has a long history in English, originally signifying a piece of cloth used for mending. The second element, 'work', derives from the Old English term for a product of labor or creation. Literally, a patchwork is the "product of working with patches." This concrete meaning, referring to a textile made by sewing together disparate fabric pieces, gave rise to the modern abstract sense describing any entity composed of varied and often incongruous elements. The logic of the word perfectly captures the process of assembling fragments into a new whole.
Analysis
Structure: patch (piece) + work (product)
- patch: From Middle English pacche, of uncertain origin, possibly from Old English pæc ("a piece, patch") or Old French pieche ("piece"). It functions as the core noun denoting a small piece of material.
- work: From Old English weorc ("something made, product of labor"), from Proto-Germanic werką. It functions as a noun-forming element indicating the result or product of an activity.
Examples
The novel is a patchwork of different characters' perspectives.
She learned patchwork from her grandmother and made a beautiful quilt.
The policy is a patchwork of old regulations and new compromises.