What does patchery mean?
A patchery is a collection of patches or an item of clothing assembled or repaired with patches. Its most characteristic sense is clothing visibly mended with pieces of fabric, historically associated with poverty, wartime scarcity, or the practical reuse of old garments. In modern use, the term may also describe a collection of patches as objects or craft materials. The word has a slightly old-fashioned quality and can sound disparaging when it implies rundown or poverty-associated clothing, but it may be used approvingly for garments whose contrasting repairs are part of their aesthetic. Because each patch records a particular place where material had worn through or failed, a patchery can also function as a visible history of use. The related word patchwork is more common and can refer either to the technique of sewing together pieces of fabric or to a broader composition characterized by varied parts.
nounA collection of patches, or clothing made or repaired with patches. The term often carries the connotation of worn, patched clothing associated with poverty or necessity.
- A collection of patches.
- Clothing made or repaired with patches, often associated with poverty or necessity.
- The act or practice of patching or mending.
"Her coat was a virtual patchery, with a different piece of cloth sewn over every tear."
"The tailor displayed a small patchery of brightly coloured fabric samples."
"He regarded the faded patchery of his father's old jacket as a record of years spent at sea."
The plural is rare because the word itself is uncommon.
"The museum displayed several patcheries made by wartime volunteers."
A patchery turns the practical art of mending into a visible record of every tear, repair, and story the garment has survived.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does patchery come from?
Patchery is an English 19th-century formation built from patch and the suffix -ery, which was used to form nouns denoting collections, products, or activities. Its development parallels the sense of a place or body of patches, as in a collection, and the resulting sense for clothing made from patches. The word shares its root with patchwork and other forms based on patch; the deeper origin of patch itself is less straightforward and should not be inferred simply from its modern spelling.
Related word forms
How patchery is actually used
The word is now relatively uncommon and is often old-fashioned or mildly disparaging, especially when it describes clothing that appears shabby. It can nevertheless be used neutrally or approvingly when patched clothing is worn as a deliberate fashion choice.
Easily confused with patchery
A patch is an individual piece used to cover a hole or mend an object, whereas a patchery is a collection of patches or clothing made with them.