patch
/pætʃ/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
a small piece of material used to repair a hole, cover a weak spot, or add extra cloth to something.
- She sewed a patch on his jeans.
- There is a patch on the roof.
- 2.
an area of something that is different from the area around it, often in colour, condition, or quality.
- A patch of sunlight fell on the floor.
- They found a patch of wet grass.
- 3.
a small area of software, skin, or other surface that has been fixed or changed.
- Install the security patch today.
- He put a patch on the broken program.
verb
to repair something by adding a patch, or to join pieces together quickly.
- We patched the tent after the storm.
- They patched the wall with fresh plaster.
Adinary Nuance
A patch is a small added piece or a small area, while repair is the broader act of fixing something. Use patch when the fix is local and simple, not a full replacement. It often sounds practical and temporary, especially for clothes, software, or damage.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- miếng vá
- Spanish
- parche
- Chinese
- 补丁
- Japanese
- パッチ
- Korean
- 패치
Etymology
Patch came into English from Old French in the Middle Ages. It may be connected to a word for a piece or lump of material.
Common phrases
a patch of grassa security patchpatch upa patch of land
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between patch and repair?
- A patch is a small fix. Repair is the general word for making something work again.
- Is patch used for software?
- Yes. A patch can be a small software update that fixes a problem.
- Can patch mean an area of land?
- Yes. A patch can mean a small area of something, like grass or sunlight.
- Is patch formal or informal?
- It is common in both speech and writing. In business or technical English, it is very normal.