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
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Police said a horse tapestry was hanging in the portrait’s place.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
After studying tapestry at the Duperré School of Applied Arts in Paris, Franjou has devoted herself to sculptural work with linen since 1999.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2025
In the vast tapestry of the universe, few phenomena are as mysterious and awe-inspiring as black holes.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tapestry
Cite this Entry
“Tapestry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tapestry. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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tapestry
noun
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