The feel, appearance, or consistency of surfaces or materials as perceived through touch or sight. The distinctive physical composition or structure that gives something its characteristic quality.
From Latin 'textura' meaning 'weaving, web, texture,' from 'textus' (woven), past participle of 'texere' (to weave). Originally referred to woven fabric, then expanded to describe the surface quality of any material by the 16th century.
The word's origin in weaving is perfect - texture is literally how different threads of reality are woven together to create the rich tapestry of sensory experience. Artists and chefs are essentially texture composers, orchestrating how different materials interact with our senses.
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