Patch

Part of speech: verb, noun

Pronunciation: /pæt͡ʃ/

Definitions

1. A small piece of material used to cover or repair a hole or damaged area on a surface
2. A small section of fabric or material applied to cover a hole or damaged part ; a defined portion of land or surface that differs from its surroundings ; a piece of software that corrects bugs or improves performance
3. A piece of cloth used to repair torn or worn-out areas on objects ; a specific patch of soil or terrain identified by unique characteristics ; an update that modifies a computer program to fix issues

Etymology: A patch was once a spot, not a repair. The Middle English "patche" likely descends from an Old English word for a spot or mark, "plæċċ", which traces back to a Germanic root meaning spot or stain. Cognates across the family point the same way: Dutch "plek" means spot or place, and Dutch "plak" means a slab or piece. The sense of a mended piece of cloth grew out of that idea of a small marked area on a surface. The origin is not fully settled. Some scholars think the word may instead be a variant of Old French "pieche", a dialect form of "piece", which would tie it to the idea of a separate bit of material. Others have suggested an Italian source, "pazzo" or "paggio", with its form shaped by folk association with the existing English word.

Synonyms: mend, repair, fix, cover, darn

Antonyms: damage, break