What does figured mean?
"Figured" functions both as an adjective and as the past tense and past participle of the verb "to figure." As an adjective, it describes a material — most often fabric, wood, or veneer — that is marked or ornamented with a pattern or design, as in figured silk or figured walnut, a term especially common in furniture making, textiles, and instrument craftsmanship. As a verb form, it covers several senses: calculating or working something out mathematically, representing something in pictorial or sculptural form, and, in informal usage particularly common in American English, reaching a conclusion or forming an expectation, as in "I figured you'd say that." The word derives from Latin "figura," meaning shape or form, which also gives English words such as "figurative," "configuration," and "disfigure." Its range from technical description of decorative patterns to casual everyday inference makes it a quietly versatile word in modern English.
Having a pattern or design marked or woven into a surface; ornamented with figures.
"The curtains were made of finely figured linen."
Most often applied to fabrics, wood grain, and other decorative materials.
Past tense and past participle of "figure": to have calculated, represented, understood, or concluded.
"After checking the receipts twice, he figured the total was correct."
In informal American English, "figured" frequently means "concluded" or "assumed," as in "I figured as much."
That swirly grain in a maple guitar top that players pay extra for? Musicians simply call it a "figured" finish — a word straight from Latin "figura."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of figured
"Figured" ultimately comes from the Latin noun "figura," meaning shape, form, or figure, itself derived from the verb "fingere," to shape or mold. It entered English via Old French "figuré" in the late Middle Ages, initially carrying the sense of being shaped or represented in a particular form. Over time its meaning specialized toward the idea of being adorned with figures or patterns, which remains its core adjectival sense today. Its Latin root also produced English relatives such as "figurative," "configuration," "disfigure," and "transfigure."
Related word forms
How figured is actually used
As an adjective, "figured" is somewhat formal and appears mostly in descriptions of textiles, furniture, and musical instruments. In informal American English, the verb form "figured" is extremely common for expressing an inference or assumption ("I figured as much"), a usage that is less prevalent in British English, where "reckoned" is often preferred.
Easily confused with figured
"Figured" describes something literally marked with a physical pattern, while "figurative" describes language used metaphorically rather than literally.