What does "texture" mean?

1. (physical feel) the way a surface or substance feels when you touch it, such as being smooth, rough, or soft. 2. (artistic composition) the way different parts of a piece of art, music, or writing are put together. 3. (digital surface) a digital image used to cover a 3D shape to make it look like a real surface. 4. (intense or satisfying) having a very strong or interesting feel that makes you react.

texture

n. · adj.

US //ˈtɛkstʃɝ// UK //tˈɛkstʃɐ// tex·ture

1 physical feel (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the way a surface or substance feels when you touch it, such as being smooth, rough, or soft.

the tactile quality of a surface or substance, determined by its physical composition and finish.

Example

The smooth texture of the silk felt very comfortable against her skin.

Example

The chef experimented with contrasting textures, pairing a crunchy nut topping with a smooth, velvety chocolate mousse.
2 artistic composition (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic Theatre

the way different parts of a piece of art, music, or writing are put together.

the quality of a creative work resulting from the interaction and arrangement of its constituent elements.

Example

The director used different sounds to create a rich texture in the play.

Example

The composer achieved a dense orchestral texture by layering woodwind melodies over a complex rhythmic foundation in the lower strings.

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3 digital surface (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

a digital image used to cover a 3D shape to make it look like a real surface.

a digital image or bitmap applied to the surface of a three-dimensional graphical model to simulate detail and material properties.

Example

The game looks realistic because the stone walls have a detailed texture.

Example

The lead artist spent weeks refining the skin textures to ensure the character models appeared lifelike under various lighting conditions.
- skin
- surface map
4 intense or satisfying (adj.)
C2 Proficiency Slang Informal

having a very strong or interesting feel that makes you react.

possessing a highly pronounced or aesthetically pleasing physical quality; often used to describe something with high sensory impact.

Example

That new rug is so texture, I could sit on it all day.

Example

The experimental fashion line was incredibly texture, featuring heavy knits and jagged plastic elements that challenged traditional ideas of comfort.
- tactile
- rich

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French texture, borrowed from Latin textūra (“a weaving, web, texture, structure”), from textus, past participle of texere (“to weave”). See text. Doublet of tessitura.