Word
patchy
US/ˈpætʃi/
UK/pˈætʃi/
Definition
adj. having areas of different qualities or colors that do not mix well. You use this to describe things like weather, skin, or a surface that is not smooth or even.
adj. consisting of uneven or inconsistent areas; lacking uniformity or continuity. Often describes physical surfaces, weather conditions, or data sets.
Examples
“The weather is patchy today with some clouds and some sun.”
“The old carpet has a patchy appearance because the dye faded in some spots but not others.”
“The satellite signal was patchy throughout the flight, causing intermittent disruptions to the onboard internet connection as the aircraft moved through different atmospheric layers.”
Examples
simple
“The weather is patchy today with some clouds and some sun.”
contextual
“The old carpet has a patchy appearance because the dye faded in some spots but not others.”
complex
“The satellite signal was patchy throughout the flight, causing intermittent disruptions to the onboard internet connection as the aircraft moved through different atmospheric layers.”
Real-World Examples
“On Friday patchy rain will spread in from the west, followed by showers in the north-west on Saturday and in the south.” “There is a trolley on day trains, and patchy wifi.” Etymology
From patch + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.