Pastiche
noun /pæˈstiːʃ/ — Art made from conscious imitation of another's style.
Definition
An artistic work that imitates the style of another artist, period, or genre; can be affectionate homage or skilful reproduction.
Beyond the definition
Different from plagiarism — pastiche is openly imitative, often celebrating what it borrows. Many great careers begin in pastiche: you learn by recreating what you love until you find what's yours. The danger is never moving past it.
Origin & history
From Italian pasticcio — a pie of mixed ingredients (Latin pasta). Originally a dish made from mixed leftover ingredients; applied to art that blends or imitates various sources.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The album was a loving pastiche of sixties soul — respectful and completely its own.
His early work was pastiche; his later work was entirely itself.
A well-done pastiche shows how thoroughly you've absorbed what you admire.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Pastiche” when the meaning fits your context: An artistic work that imitates the style of another artist, period, or genre; can be affectionate homage or skilful reproduction.
Synonyms
imitation, homage, tribute, parody, approximation
Antonyms
original, innovative, pioneering
Related words
Pastiche vs parody
A pastiche is a respectful artistic work made by imitating the style of others to celebrate them. A parody imitates style to ridicule or critique the source material for comedic effect.
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
The composer was obviously doing something with Debussy — the harmonies, the impressionistic movement, the way phrases dissolved before completing. But it wasn't imitation. It had something else: a harder edge, a contemporary restlessness that the original lacked.
One reviewer called it a pastiche. She took the word as a compliment.
"Do you take it as a compliment?" someone asked. She thought about it. "I take it as evidence," she said. "That I've actually absorbed something, rather than just admired it from a distance."
Questions about this word
What does "Pastiche" mean?
Pastiche is noun meaning: Art made from conscious imitation of another's style.. An artistic work that imitates the style of another artist, period, or genre; can be affectionate homage or skilful reproduction.
Where does the word "Pastiche" come from?
From Italian pasticcio — a pie of mixed ingredients (Latin pasta). Originally a dish made from mixed leftover ingredients; applied to art that blends or imitates various sources.