key pattern
1
6.7
- noun
- You can find a key pattern along the edges of ancient vases and architecture.
Examples
-
The frieze was decorated with a classic key pattern that gave the room a Greek feel.
-
A silver key pattern framed the front door, adding an elegant geometric touch.
-
Wow! That key pattern looks stunning!
-
The key pattern adds a unique touch to the building.
-
The frieze was decorated with a classic key pattern that gave the room a Greek feel.
-
A silver key pattern framed the front door, adding an elegant geometric touch.
-
You can find a key pattern along the edges of ancient vases and architecture.
Synonyms
190
2.8
A repeated design like shapes or flowers on cloth
49
3.3
A pattern or picture used to decorate a surface
19
5.3
A repeated decorative design used on clothes, walls or buildings
1
7.1
A repeating decorative border made from one continuous line that forms square corners
1
9.4
A decorative border of repeating straight lines
A repeating design of vertical and horizontal lines that people use to decorate buildings and objects
Surface Forms
Morphology
The ornamental/design sense of 'key pattern' (a specific repeated decorative motif) is not predictably built from 'key' meaning 'fundamental/important' plus 'pattern' meaning 'design'; 'key' here is a specialized/lexicalized use (as in the Greek key/meander) rather than its common adjective sense. A B1 learner who only knows the basic meanings of the parts would likely interpret it as 'important pattern' and not infer the specific architectural ornament sense, so the expression is opaque.
Etymology
Key pattern may come from an old Greek design where a single line turns sharply left and right again and again, making a long path that looks like the teeth of a key or a simple maze. That's why a key pattern today means 'a repeated arrangement of vertical and horizontal lines used to decorate doors, vases, and the edges of buildings.'