something regarded as a normative example
"the convention of not naming the main character"
"violence is the rule not the exception"
"his formula for impressing visitors"
a model considered worthy of imitation
"the American constitution has provided a pattern for many republics"
the path that is prescribed for an airplane that is preparing to land at an airport
"the traffic patterns around O'Hare are very crowded"
"they stayed in the pattern until the fog lifted"
graphical representation (in polar or Cartesian coordinates) of the spatial distribution of radiation from an antenna as a function of angle
"The engineer adjusted the feed network to correct the main lobe in the antenna's radiation pattern before conducting the over-the-air tests."
Model, example.
"The new employee used her manager's success story as a pattern to guide her own career path."
Something from which a copy is made; a model or outline.
"The designer traced the fabric pattern onto paper before cutting out the pieces for the dress."
In plain English: A pattern is a design or shape that repeats over and over again.
"The wallpaper features a beautiful floral pattern."
Usage: Use "pattern" to describe a repeated design or regular way something happens, such as a fabric print or a consistent behavior. Avoid using it simply to mean an example unless you are referring to a specific model that serves as a guide for imitation.
To apply a pattern.
"The decorator carefully applied a floral pattern to the ceiling before hanging the chandelier."
In plain English: To pattern something means to shape it by following a specific model or design.
"The designer patterned the fabric with small flowers."
Usage: Do not use "pattern" as a verb to mean applying a design; instead, use the noun form with a preposition like "patterned after" or simply say "applied a pattern." The word functions correctly only when describing an object that possesses a regular, repeated arrangement.
The word pattern entered English in the 14th century as patterne, originally meaning a model or example rather than a decorative design. It traveled from Old French through Medieval Latin, where it referred to someone who supports another person.