pastiche

noun

pas·​tiche pa-ˈstēsh 

pä-

1

: a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work that imitates the style of previous work

His building designs are pastiches based on classical forms.

also : such stylistic imitation

2

a

: a musical, literary, or artistic composition made up of selections from different works : potpourri

The research paper was essentially a pastiche made up of passages from different sources.

b

: hodgepodge

The house is decorated in a pastiche of Asian styles.

pasticheur

ˌpa-stē-ˈshər 

ˌpä-

noun

Did you know?

It all began with macaroni. Our word pastiche is from French, but the French word was in turn borrowed from Italian, where the word is pasticcio. Pasticcio is what the Italians called a kind of "macaroni pie" (from the word pasta). English-speakers familiar with this multilayered dish had begun to apply the name to various sorts of potpourris or hodgepodges (musical, literary, or otherwise) by the 18th century. For over a hundred years English speakers were happy with pasticcio, until we discovered the French word pastiche sometime in the latter part of the 1800s. Although we still occasionally use pasticcio in its extended meaning, "pastiche" is now much more common.

Synonyms

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

Examples of pastiche in a Sentence

His earlier building designs were pastiches based on classical forms.

With this work she goes beyond pastiche.

The research paper was essentially a pastiche made up of passages from different sources.

The house is decorated in a pastiche of Asian styles.

Recent Examples on the Web

West’s genre skills are matched by his fondness for the look and feel of the 1980s B-movie, an unmistakable reference that nonetheless transcends pastiche. —David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 June 2024

That sounds creepy, but this is the sort of slasher pastiche that uses random killers for suspenseful convenience. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 26 June 2024

But the lyrics remain opaque and fragmented at times, a pastiche of fleeting feelings that blur together like a watercolor. —Vrinda Jagota, SPIN, 17 June 2024

Undoubtedly, the GPTs of today are capable, and will become even more capable, of doing a pretty passable pastiche of the already said. —Laurent Dubreuil, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Italian pasticcio

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!