Tapestry is a noun referring to a thick fabric, often woven with designs or pictures, that is used as a wall hanging or decorative textile. It can also metaphorically describe something intricate or richly composed, like a tapestry of events or memories. The word conveys craftsmanship, color, and narrative detail.
"The grand hall was adorned with a medieval tapestry depicting knights and forests."
"She pulled the tapestry closer to examine the fine stitching and vibrant threads."
"The author weaved a tapestry of memories into a single, compelling novel."
"Her life is a tapestry of experiences, each thread adding depth and color."
Tapestry comes from Old French tapesserie, meaning ‘a place where tapestries are woven,’ from tapis ‘cloth, carpet’ and -erie ‘a place for a trade or a collection.’ The root tapis derives from Latin tapis, then from Greek ‘tapēs’ or related terms referencing woven cloth. In Middle English, tapestry denoted the craft of weaving rich hangings and the works themselves. The sense broadened from the literal wall-hanging to figurative usage denoting a composite, richly woven piece of art or life, with the metaphorical meaning “a complex, interconnected whole.” The first known use in English traces to the late 13th or early 14th century, aligning with the medieval European fascination with elaborate textile decoration. Over centuries, the term retained craft connotations, later acquiring broader metaphorical use in literature and speech to describe complex, interwoven stories or events.
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Words that rhyme with "Tapestry"
-ure sounds
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Pronounce as TAP-uh-stree with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US/UK: /ˈtæp.ə.stri/. Start with a clear /t/ release, then a schwa or reduced /ə/ in the second syllable, and end with a crisp /stri/ cluster. In careful speech, keep the /p/ and /t/ crisp; in rapid speech, the middle syllable may reduce slightly.
Common errors include turning the second syllable into a full vowel instead of a reduced /ə/, producing a long /i:/ at the end (tæp-ə-str-ee) and blending the /t/ with the following /s/ into a /ts/ cluster. Correction: articulate /t/ clearly, use a short /ə/ for the middle syllable, and end with a clean /stri/ sequence (no extra vowel). Practice slow, then speed up while maintaining syllable boundaries.
US: /ˈtæp.ə.stri/ with a nearer-syllable /ə/ and a mild rhotic influence. UK: /ˈtæp.ɪ.stri/ with a shorter, clipped middle vowel and less vowel reduction; AU: /ˈtæp.ɪ.strɪ/ often with a slightly rolled or tapped /ɹ/ in connected speech and a shorter final /i/ sound. All share primary stress on the first syllable but vowel qualities vary.
It challenges because of the three-syllable rhythm where the middle syllable often reduces, the need for a clean /t/ and /s/ sequence, and the final /stri/ cluster that can blur in quick speech. Additionally, non-native speakers may misplace stress or mispronounce the middle vowel as /i/ or /e/. Focus on keeping a short, neutral /ə/ and a crisp /s/ + /t/ + /r/ transition.
Keep attention on the second syllable: /ə/ rather than a full vowel like /æ/ or /eɪ/. The sequence /stri/ should be a tight consonant blend rather than a separate syllable; avoid inserting extra vowels between /t/ and /r/. In connected speech, you may hear slight linking: tapping the /t/ into the following /ə/ and then crisper /str/ onset before the final /i/.
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