pattern a regularly repeated arrangement of shapes, colours, or lines on a surface:
Some of his pictures use patterns of dots.
The lines formed a regular pattern.
design a pattern used for decorating something, especially cloth or paper:
curtains with a floral design (=based on flowers)
markings the coloured patterns and shapes on an animal’s fur, feathers, or skin:
the tiger’s black and orange markings
motif formal a single shape that is regularly repeated to form a pattern which decorates something:
A triangle within a square is a very common motif in Muslim art.
The shield motif in the frescoes at Knossos is a religious, not a military, symbol.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲