A template is a thin piece of metal or plastic which is cut into a particular shape. It is used to help you cut wood, paper, metal, or other materials accurately, or to reproduce the same shape many times.
Trace around your template and transfer the design onto a sheet of card.
2. countable noun [usually singular]
If one thing is a templatefor something else, the second thing is based on the first thing.
The deal is likely to provide a template for other agreements. [+ for]
template in British English
or templet (ˈtɛmplɪt)
noun
1.
a gauge or pattern, cut out in wood or metal, used in woodwork, etc, to help shape something accurately
2.
a pattern cut out in card or plastic, used in various crafts to reproduce shapes
3.
a short beam, made of metal, wood, or stone, that is used to spread a load, as over a doorway
4. biochemistry
the molecular structure of a compound that serves as a pattern for the production of the molecular structure of another specific compound in a reaction
Word origin
C17 templet (later spelling influenced by plate), probably from French, diminutive of temple3
template in American English
(ˈtɛmplɪt)
noun
1.
a pattern, usually in the form of a thin plate of metal, wood, plastic, etc., for forming an accurate copy of an object or shape
2. Architecture
a.
a short stone or timber placed under a beam to help distribute the pressure
b.
a beam for supporting joists over an open space, as a doorway
3. Biochemistry
any complex molecular structure, as DNA or RNA, that serves as a pattern in the synthesis of another complex molecular structure
Word origin
altered (infl. by plate) < templet < Fr, dim. of temple < L templum, small timber, purlin, akin to temple1
Examples of 'template' in a sentence
template
I'd begun to frame everything she said in my own scheme of things, like those template marker systems for multiple choice.
Dexter Petley WHITE LIES (2003)
He loaded his word processing program and called up his personal template for profiles.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2003)
My face, Pete's face, even Billy's face, a template of human faces, always changing.
various (2003)
In other languages
template
British English: template NOUN
shape A template is a thin piece of metal or plastic which is cut into a particular shape in order to be able to reproduce the same shape many times.
Trace around your template and transfer the design onto a sheet of card.
American English: template
Brazilian Portuguese: molde
Chinese: > 模板用于切割木材、纸、金属等的
European Spanish: plantilla
French: patron
German: Schablone
Italian: sagoma
Japanese: 型板
Korean: 형판
European Portuguese: molde
Latin American Spanish: plantilla
British English: template NOUN
in computing In computing, a template is a model of a document that you can use as a guide when creating a document of your own.
Open any of the layout templates, insert your text, make any other changes, and print.